The Perfect Woman
by seek-to-enchant121584
Summary: River muses on what makes a woman perfect. And why Inara is closer than she'll ever be to being what the captain of Serenity wants in a woman. But what she thinks and what he wants are two different things. Mal/River. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: I've had this oneshot written up, eagerly awaiting to be posted for oh...about a month or so now. I'd be ready to post it, but then I would find something wrong with it, kept holding it back to change a word here and there. Here it finally is! I hope it passes your inspection!

Music suggestions: 'You get me' by Michelle Branch, 'We belong' by Pat Benatar.

Disclaimer: Still haven't created that universal, all-applicable disclaimer that says I own nothing. Especially not Firefly/Serenity.

The Perfect Woman

What made a woman perfect in the eyes of the opposite sex? She could read the mind of just about everyone in the verse if she came into close enough contact with them. There were some she wished she couldn't. But she wanted to know, on a fundamental level, how women like Inara could radiate perfection. If it were something that could be cultivated even after years of neglect.

There was no way she could compete with the one woman that every man wanted after. She had all the right curves, the perfect blend of woman and Amazonian warrior. She wasn't skilled in every possible fighting technique and weapon known in the verse. She couldn't read minds. She hadn't been carted off to a "special" school to be brainwashed and driven partially insane.

She knew how to dress and had the right combination to bring any man to his knees. And River meant that in a _pleasurable_ manner. Sure, she could do the same thing...hers was just a little more crippling and forceful than persuasive.

Inara didn't have bouts of crazy, confounding everyone around her with her riddles. Inara was the epitome of the woman River never could be.

Most importantly, Inara wasn't only eighteen with a serious crush on the captain. Inara could act on her feelings if she ever wanted to and Mal would be a fool to reject them. River wasn't an idiot, she could see how the captain looked at Inara. Especially before the whole Miranda mess...all the secret glances and hidden thoughts. Inara felt them too. She just didn't know what would happen if she acted on them. So she didn't. And he didn't.

River always used to hear all their thoughts. Everyone's. Even his. But then one day, the captain's thoughts were no longer there. It had puzzled her for days and woken her out of a sound sleep when she realized what had been missing. In a way, his thoughts had always been a comfort to her. Both his and Zoe's, because they reminded her of how much some people had to live with. And survive. It had lulled her to sleep on more than one occasion, their strength. Now all she had was Zoe and the little baby Wash that was days from being born. She would have to let Zoe and Simon know soon so they could make the necessary preparations.

Inara wouldn't have any problem seducing Mal if she really wanted to. She was exactly what he needed. She had all the right experience, skill and beauty–not to mention age difference–to perfectly complement Mal.

It shouldn't hurt as much as it did when she pictured them together. How they would look holding hands and sharing long, meaningful glances. How Mal would try to save Inara from herself and her "questionable profession" as Mal had imagined once. And the way Inara would berate him for trying to control her life and take over her decision making skills while she tried to fight back a grin.

When it came to Inara, the companion had became River's guinea pig when she decided to try and block people's thoughts. She was of half a mind to admit that part of her crush might have originated from imbibing upon Inara's thoughts. Inara had the poise and external calm-collectedness that striving courtisans and expert alike had to admire. But she was still only a woman with dreams and desires. After awhile, all the feelings and stress of denying desires began to make River feel even more hopeless and guilty that somehow she was encroaching on Inara's terrritory. River knew she didn't have any chance at all, but the feelings wouldn't go away. Any of them. Personally, she thought she was doing fairly well thus far. She only got snippets here and there, mostly when she was very tired. She only wished she didn't have to feel or think anymore.

Besides, it's not as if her crush would ever be manifested into reality.

ooooovoooo*oooooozoooo-oooooooomoo*

"Quick! Slam me into the wall and then follow." River commanded succinctly, both of them halting at the brick wall of a dead end.

Mal looked at her flabbergasted, his gaze darting around furtively for any other means of escape. Just his luck, there was none.

"Security." River reminded him urgently, looking over her shoulder quickly before turning her back into the wall and pressing herself against it. The fingers of her hands wound around his coat lapels firmly and hauled him in towards her with a solid yank. "Quick, we don't have much time. Look interested in my body."

"What?!" Mal sputtered indignantly, attempting to unlock himself from the iron grip she had on his coat. He really liked the shiny new tuxedo jacket he'd had to buy for this recent job and didn't want to see any harm coming to it.

As an afterthought, he should probably say that the same could also be said about himself and the girl wrapping herself around him all nice-like.

Not that he was at all interested in how River could be the kind of girl to fit around him all nice-like.

Rolling her eyes, River clutched one hand behind his head and the other inched along underneath his coat onto his back towards the tiny blade he'd hidden there. Just in case.

"Left thigh holder under my dress." River said into his ear, lifting up the aforementioned leg and hooking it around his knee.

Mal's hands flailed around, the indecision in his mind translating to his hands as his hands skimmed along her body indecisively.

"While I may be able to hold this position for hours, it would look more believable if you would just grab me like I instructed you to do!" River hissed irritably.

Her talking about being able to hold positions for hours was something he didn't need to be hearing at the present.

"Whoa there, Albatross. You'd better check that tone with me. I'm the one that orders people around here." Mal returned, looking at her squarely.

"Well then _do_ something in three...two..." River replied, trailing off when one hand sank into her hair and tilted her head further to one side as the other hooked around her knee and began inching upward as three guards charged around the corner.

"Mmm...I love the feel of your body against mine." River moaned out as seductively as possible. '_Just channel your inner Inara._' River thought to herself.

From the vocal silence as well as the lecherous thoughts from the guards, her hastily construed distraction was working perfectly.

She gasped in genuine surprise when Mal bit at her neck, leaving the spot raw and tender as he continued to suck on the area as if he'd never be able to breathe again if he left it. More of the surprise came from the evident pleasure _he_ was receiving from the act. The part of him that was nestled quite nicely in a place she was afraid to admit to imagining him in for too long.

She barely felt the whisper of a caress further above the necessary height to acquire the gun attached to her upper thigh before his hand slid back down to release the catch on the gun.

"Halt your actions and step away from..." one of the guards finally began to manage. The order lodged in his throat when Mal's hand trailed its way down from her hair and onto her breast.

Her eyes shot open and stared up at the sky as he fondled her, the first Mal thought she'd received in months floating on the air like a wisp of smoke yet clearer than any of the others surrounding her.

'_It shouldn't have happened like this.'_

"Sorry it had to be like this, Albatross." Mal whispered apologetically against her neck, his thumb rubbing gently across the already taut peak. She shivered involuntarily as her gaze returned to his. He then pulled the gun away from her leg, spinning away from her as he shot off three consecutive shots. Each shot hit their target dead on in the left shoulder.

"Time to go, Darlin'." Mal said in a clipped tone, grabbing her forearm and dragging her back the way they had came.

River let him drag her along, dwelling on the thought that had passed from his mind to hers. It was even more world-tilting than the absurd and thrilling situation that had ended with her skin tingling and her brain almost completely frozen in shock.

He'd been thinking about her, too.

oooeoooaooo*oooowoooooo-oooocoooonoo*

(Deep sigh) So...did you like it? I wrote this at work (it may or may not have been at a time when I was supposed to be working...) like I mentioned at the beginning, a few months back. And, as per usual, I left the poor thing without a resolution. So if it feels a little clipped, that's why. I pulled it out of the cloudy, grey sky, lol. I wanted to give them a chance to talk after the..."confrontation" but the words just wouldn't come. I'm telling you, it really frustrates the hell out of me! I hope you still enjoyed it regardless.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: Ahh...after all this time, I've finally posted something from Mal's perspective. I said I would didn't I? Well, I thought about it, anyway. So, here we go! I couldn't resist the ****_Castle_**** reference. They gave props to ****_Firefly_**** in the show, so why not? Also, a ****_Glee_**** reference.**

Music suggestions: 'Harder to breathe' by Maroon 5, 'Again' by Flyleaf, 'Grown Woman' by Mary J. Blige.

Disclaimer: Just more of the usual. Don't own Firefly. Or Serenity. Not even joint custody of all the equally hot leading men.

2-The Perfect Woman

What made women have to be so gorramed difficult? That was the thought that kept looping through Mal's head every time they got on one of these long runs in space. Heading from one job to the next, transporting from one side of the verse to the other, or just drifting about waiting for the next person to send them a wave to give them a direction.

Men, on the one hand, were as easy as pie to figure out. There were few things a man required to survive. His short, personal list consisted of eating, sleeping, breathing, pulling a flawless heist, and sex. And not necessarily in that order.

Being stranded out in space, on a boat where women outnumbered men, was bound to drive a man to insanity. Especially considering how divided they were when compared to the women folk. It was like they purposefully traveled around in packs. It was gorramed impossible to get one of them alone at any given time. Even Zoe could be found flanked by Kaylee and Inara at any given time, with River walking backwards and stooped over talking to Zoe's now very obvious baby bump. River wouldn't tell him the gender of the baby, no matter his prodding. Knowing his luck, that baby growing inside of Zoe was female too. God only knew what life would be like once that baby popped out.

Alright, so perhaps he wasn't nearly as bitter about the way the scales were tipped, and perhaps it could be said that he cared deeply for all the women on his boat, emotions and natural inclinations be damned. He also supposed one could say that each one held a special place in his heart-what was left of it, that is. He hadn't given them all the boot, after all, now had he? But what kind of thanks did he get? It was "Cap'n, we need to go to this planet. I need parts." or "Mal, why must you be so difficult? I only asked to go planetside for a few hours for a client. Not all of us are thieves and troublemakers." or "I need a new bunk because Simon advised me to not climb the ladder anymore."

He had Inara staying on the boat to help Zoe with the pregnancy and he was fairly certain that there were times the woman irritated him so much he wanted to light himself on fire. He couldn't even find refuge with Zoe, who he swore was borderline bipolar with her pregnancy hormone induced mood swings. It was like sticking his hand into a deep, dark hole without knowing what hid in the unknown blackness.

Kaylee and River were probably the two easiest to get along with in recent times. The only problem he had with the former was _finding_ the bright and shiny mechanic. Kaylee was still Kaylee, even more energetic now that the doc had wizened up and made right with her. Unfortunately, now that her and the doc had shacked up, he was usually bellowing down into one of their bunks to get her to come out and do her fixin' and reparin' jobs. He'd consider himself lucky if he ever found her doing her actual duties around the ship without him ordering her about beforehand.

It was really saying something when he was forced to admit that River was probably the sanest, most stable woman on the ship. Sure, she still floated around in daydreams more often than not, dancing and twirling around to a song long since played and recorded in her mind, admonishing people in riddle for _thinking_ about something or other. On the other hand, she was one of the best gorramed pilots he'd ever had the pleasure of flying with, and damned useful in a fight. And, more often than not, he was going to her for advice on a heist. She factored more into any of his planned jobs than not, much to her brother's chagrin. She was smart as a whip and just as fast, and she drew in more money than her brother from all the jobs she was tagging along on. She'd sure as hell long since earned his respect, that's for damned sure.

River was the only one pulling her weight around on Serenity anymore. In fact, she was happy as pie most days, and hardly ever asked for anything. He couldn't even recall the last instance of her complaining about anything. The last time she did anything remotely close to complaining, it wasn't even about herself, but for Zoe. Claiming that too much time in space wasn't good for the growing baby and that she should be allowed to spend more time planetside. That particular venture had led to them spending more time on solid ground between Zoe's parents and Wash's. He still couldn't determine who was the more grateful party-his crew, or the grandparents.

He'd discovered at some point over the past few months that his little albatross was lurking somewhere in his mind a lot more often than she wasn't. Most of the time, he just craved to know what made her tick, what went on inside her convoluted mind. What she must have had to endure, living day to day being experimented on...and to survive more or less fully intact. It made his blood boil every time he thought on that particular subject for too long. He'd have done a fair share worse to those blue gloved bastards than merely stealing away their most prized pupil. He still had plans for anyone who dared crossed his path looking to exploit her like that ever again. Come hell or high water, he'd be dead before anyone tried to take his albatross away from him.

How strong his little psychic must be. She tried to hide it, but somehow he could see the strain it put on her, performing the most remedial of tasks while taking constant bombardment on the psychic plane. He couldn't even imagine what it must be like, hearing everyone's thoughts. Seeing the past, the future. She worked so hard just to be normal, most processes the rest of the verse took for granted as going through the motions. And yet still managed to look like a graceful and lithe ballet dancer.

So he also might have noticed that his little albatross wasn't quite so little anymore and that all his thoughts weren't exactly pure. She'd done a lot of growing since she'd first been brought aboard with her brother. Filled out in all the right places, just as a girl her age should. One could barely call her a woman, being just on the cusp of what society would call legal. At some point, though, that highly unevolved part of his brain had picked her up and shifted her from being just River Tam: the crazy little sister of Simon Tam, to River Tam: a woman with the right to live her own life. She was a woman, and yet she was unlike any other woman he had ever met.

It really was too bad he was a cantankerous old captain of a Firefly class starship that had already lived a lifetime filled with plenty of darkness and regrets, treading into that Special Hell Shepard Book had occasionally preached about-without any regard as to who or what might be waiting to greet him.

oooovooo*ooouooonoo*ooowoooo*

This was not happening to him. Damn his gorram luck all to hell. She was psychic, wasn't she supposed to _see_ these types of happenings before they happened?

"Quick! Slam me into the wall and then follow." River commanded succinctly, both of them halting at the brick wall of a dead end.

Mal looked at her flabbergasted, his gaze darting around furtively for any other means of escape. Just his luck, there was none.

"Security." River reminded him urgently, looking over her shoulder quickly before turning her back into the wall and pressing herself against it. The fingers of her hands wound around his coat lapels firmly and hauled him in towards her with a solid yank. He kept forgetting just how strong she was. "Quick, we don't have much time. Look interested in my body."

"What?" Mal sputtered indignantly, attempting to unlock himself from the iron grip she had on his coat. He really liked the shiny new tuxedo jacket he'd had to buy for this recent job and didn't want to see any harm coming to it. It made him look rather ruggedly handsome, if he did say so himself.

As an afterthought, he should probably say that the whole no harm thought could also be said about himself and the girl wrapping herself around him all nice-like.

Not that he was at all interested in how River could be the kind of girl to fit around him all nice-like. Nope, most definitely not.

Alright, so perhaps a little.

Rolling her eyes exasperatedly, River clutched one hand behind his head and the other inched along underneath his coat onto his back towards the tiny blade he'd hidden there. Just in case. Of course, she'd known about the blade. She always knew where he hid his weapons.

"Left thigh holder under my dress." River said into his ear, lifting up the aforementioned leg and hooking it around his knee.

Mal's hands flailed around, the indecision in his mind translating to his hands as his hands skimmed along her body indecisively. Really. It was like he was sixteen again and rolling around in the hay in his parents' barn with Rebecca Johnson-all talk and zero practical application.

"While I may be able to hold this position for hours, it would look more believable if you would just grab me like I instructed you to do!" River hissed irritably.

Her talking about being able to hold positions for hours was something he didn't need to be hearing at the present. It also didn't help certain parts of his anatomy from reacting to all the nice friction she was already causing by just being in the right place between his body and the wall.

"Whoa there, Albatross. You'd better check that tone with me. I'm the one that orders people around here." Mal returned, looking at her squarely.

To hell with that Special Hell. He was certain it couldn't be that bad.

"Well then _do_ something in three...two..." River replied, trailing off when one hand sank into her hair and tilted her head further to one side as the other hooked around her knee and began inching upward as three guards charged around the corner.

"Mmm...I love the feel of your body against mine." River moaned out as seductively as possible.

He definitely wasn't disagreeing with that particular sentiment.

She gasped in genuine surprise when he bit at her neck, leaving the spot raw and tender as he continued to suck on the area as if he'd never be able to breathe again if he left it.

Regardless of how he'd just been acting less than twenty seconds ago, he'd long since learned how to properly pleasure a woman. And there were a few deeply buried thoughts he'd like to bring to the light while he had the chance.

He hoped she didn't notice the whisper of a caress further above the necessary height to acquire the gun attached to her upper thigh before his hand slid back down to release the catch on the gun. He hadn't wanted to stop there, either. Curiosity drew him. It always had. She wasn't wearing the spandex tonight in lieu of some lacy couture Inara had handed over earlier that day. It'd had his brain tangled up in knots for hours. He knew, though, if he hooked his hand around the smooth flesh that only just separated her legs from the rest of her body, he'd be hoisting her upwards and giving those guards a show they'd never forget.

And probably end up paying them for.

"Halt your actions and step away from..." one of the guards finally began to manage.

The guards were coming back to their senses. Mal wasn't having any of that. The hand nestled in her hair was halfway down her body before he remembered just who was underneath him. A girl that probably hadn't had this much sexual attention in her entire life. One that shouldn't be treated like a cheap whore for a peep show.

But the distraction tactic proved effective as the order lodged in the man's throat when Mal's hand reached its destination and squeezed her breast.

Gorram it. It wasn't supposed to happen like this.

It shouldn't have happened like this.

"Sorry it had to be like this, Albatross." Mal whispered apologetically against her neck, his thumb rubbing gently across the already taut peak. She shivered involuntarily as her gaze leapt to his. He then pulled the gun away from her leg, spinning away from her as he shot off three consecutive shots. Each shot hit their target dead on in the left shoulder.

"Time to go, Darlin'." Mal said in a clipped tone as he grabbed her forearm and dragged her back the way they had came, avoiding her speculative eyes.

There'd be no peaceful dreamin' for him that night. Only thoughts of a girl with wild brown tresses falling over his shoulder as he held on to her tight, sharing heat and grown-up pleasure in his bed all through the night.

oooouooooo*ooooeoomoo*ooowooooxooo

**A/N:** I hope it lives up to the expectations for those of you that wanted Mal's POV. The first half is completely fresh, but it's deja vu for the second half. I mostly just spliced in a few thoughts here and there, cutting out a few River-flavored thoughts. I was thinking of doing something for afterwards, but I can't think of anything! Thoughts? Please?


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: Hey there, y'all! I'm ba-ack! You remember how the last chapter ended? We visit on that idea in a little more detail in this chapter! This didn't flow quite as easily as I imagined it would, but I'm still pleased with the "final" result (I put quotations around final due to the fact that I'm always coming back to a story and finding something wrong with it). Granted, this chapter is left a bit more open than the others, so I will have to come back to it and wrap it up (hopefully quicker than the previous chapters), but before I do that...Just read the author's note at the end.

Music Suggestions: "Everything" by The Veronicas.

Disclaimer: Alas, Firefly doesn't belong to me.

3-Perfect Woman

River was in a very perplexed state of mind as she floated along the catwalks of Serenity, with a good dash of self-loathing swirling around the confusion like a red haze.

Neither she nor Simon could have predicted how or if she would adjust to the new world she'd been presented with after her escape. For months, she wouldn't leave the terraced and hazardous walkways during her waking hours, unable to face any other living soul, leaving everyone to their own conclusions that she really was crazy. And, having the first hand account to prove it, she was as every bit as crazy as Jayne thought she was.

Most of her teenage years were spent locked up in a cage, both in mind and body, without any contact with the outside world. One would think being psychic, with the ability to glean people's innermost thoughts and fantasies, would have left her better prepared to assimilate a life in the verse. But in some regards, and furthermore, without the proper teaching to decipher all those conflicting viewpoints, it left her even more vulnerable and introspective.

She was curious about oh so many things. After the events on Miranda, and her brother called Kaylee his, River became an unwilling receiver to thoughts of a more Biblical nature. So naturally, her inquisitive mind began to question. She understood the mechanics of sex, but for obvious reasons, she'd become so cloistered from any form of sexual conduct and society's norms, that she missed out on what made the activity more than just a reason to reproduce.

Regrettably, she had no one to turn to for answers, even if she could coerce her thoughts into cohesive queries. Simon was out of the question, being her brother. It would cause too many complications that she didn't have the patience to wade through without any kind of visible frustration. That, in turn, left Kaylee out of the running. On one hand, it would make the most sense, going to the shiny mechanic for advice on sex. Kaylee's mind was where most of River's secondhand knowledge on the subject had come from. Unfortunately, seeing as how open and honest Kaylee was, and depending on where Simon was on the ship, he would know of her inquiries before she even got a proper reply.

Inara...did she even need a reason for not wanting to go to the courtesan about her inexperience? Even before her feelings for the wily, broad-tempered captain had changed, she couldn't get over one simple emotion: her pride. Granted, she didn't have all that much considering her mental status, but she still had a few scraps of the emotion here and there. Going to Inara would be equivalent to admitting defeat to yet something else. River couldn't...wouldn't ever go to Inara about a question pertaining to sex.

She supposed if there was one person she could go to and receive an honest and unbiased answer, it would be Zoe. Perhaps if Zoe weren't dealing with a double whammy of her true love's death and the impending birth of their only child together, River might have considered admitting her curiosity to the Amazonian-like warrior. If anyone were to be her idol, it would be Zoe. She was so strong, so resilient to anything thrown her way. She was also so naturally beautiful and intelligent. Zoe was a woman with many layers, most of them invisible to the ordinary eye. River knew that her questions might throw Zoe off-balance for a moment, but she'd quickly put it all in stride and patiently untangle the mess.

Unfortunately, life had never really been all that nice to one River Tam. So when she'd reached her breaking point, instead of receiving the boon of camaraderie with a sister-like or mother-like figure, she was forced to either keep enduring, or have a mental breakdown. Needless to say, she chose to kept enduring.

Before that night with the captain, she'd practically resigned herself to an eternity of torment. In the form of unexplored curiosity and secondhand exploration.

But then as that night in the alley played out, dormant areas of her brain lit up like a handful of bottle rockets vaulting across the night sky, and she didn't care what purpose any of Mal's actions had served or who had been watching. Her body sang out in neglected pleasure as his chest brushed against her sensitive breasts and his man parts pressed up into her inexperienced girl parts. And she began to understand why people liked having sex for recreational purposes only.

The captain hardly spoke to her after their escape from the second-rate security, merely hoisting her along behind him as he crashed through a high-class party, drawing the stunned gaze of all in attendance as they passed. With her hair in disarray and her dress disheveled, not to mention the dreamy expression of a woman properly ravished, she had no doubt what most of the attendees thought of their quick appearance and departure. Even if she hadn't been a sponge to the disapproving thoughts that penetrated her defenseless mind.

What had rattled her foundation the most had been the phrase she'd gleaned from Mal's mind. Granted, she already stood on shaky ground and her knees literally trembled after Mal had dropped her leg abruptly to shoot the three guards, leaving her temporarily dazed and disoriented. But before that one thought, there hadn't been so much as a peep from the aloof, yet guarded, captain's mind for months. No dreams, no thoughts, and perhaps worst of all, no premonitions of his future.

Somehow, either through some trigger from her or him, something unlocked his mind to hers. The moment she felt his reciprocation in her sexually-oriented distraction, her proudly built defenses dropped from around her mind and she "_felt_" him again. At first, it was just a swirling mass of emotions. She'd dismissed most, thinking they were from the voyeuristic guards. But then his hand was inching past the gun and she caught the hint of curiosity and a desire to plunder that heated her face, emotions that were tinged with regret moments before his thought slipped into her mind and his hand cupped her breast and squeezed.

After they were safely back on the ship and on their way through the planet's atmosphere, he let go of her hand and avoided her like the plague. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done. It had taken months for her to build up those psychic walls, and there was no telling how his defensive mind had locked her out in the first place, but the barricade was broken. And a backwash filled with memories and longings gushed inside her receptive mind.

That night, he dreamt about her.

In the past, most of his dreams were full of violence and bitterness, guilt and resentment from being unable to protect his own. Sometimes it was on a battlefield of some planet she'd never placed foot on. Other times, it involved Serenity and all the hardships he and his ship had endured together. His dreams always left her with her own sense of guilt, angry that her ability didn't extend outside her own mind. More than once, she tossed and turned with the impulse to soothe, an urgency to reach out and wrap the captain up in a maelstrom of comfort and happiness.

But, he was human, a man at that, and she'd long since learned that sex was a constant in a person's thoughts. Even one as closely guarded as Malcolm Reynolds. She'd even caught a few of his Inara-flavored indulgences once or twice before the live feed from his mind had been disconnected from hers. However, she'd never been as caught up in the details in any of his other fantasies as she'd been that night after the alley.

She'd been happily intrigued as she watched her dream form sneak stealthily from her own bunk to his, watching avidly as her nimble fingers turned the latch quiet as a mouse and climbed down the metal ladder silently. It was something akin to watching a movie as dream River looked down at the slumbering captain for a few contemplative moments before she slid the lacy underwear Inara had presented to her for the mission the day before down her legs and climbed fluidly into bed. Mal remained completely unaware of the girl's presence until she'd pulled the covers down past his knees and straddled him. Dream Mal started to frown, slowly dredging his way to wakefulness. Sweeping her hair over one shoulder and holding it in place with one hand, dream River leaned down and pressed her lips to his.

River realized fairly quickly that this dream version of herself was a lot more comfortable with sex and all its trappings as dream River roused Mal from sleep. River looked on in rapt fascination as her dream double reached out with her tongue to coax his mouth into opening. Rather submissively, his mouth opened without hesitation and River watched as his tongue began to lazily tangle with hers. She wanted so badly to know what it was like to touch tongues just like in his dream. It didn't look like it served much of a purpose, but it sure did look like a lot of fun.

He'd startle into full wakefulness abruptly, pushing her dream form away far enough to see who it was he was kissing. Alarmingly, instead of arguing or lecturing her, he smiled that charming crooked smile of his and pushed his way up into a seated position. His hands would disappear under the skirt of her dress, skimming along the skin until she could sense his fingertips digging into her flesh inches below her buttocks. What made the move so tantalizing would be how his grip would urge her pelvis to settle into his, his lips latching onto her neck similar to how they had in the alley as her arms twined themselves around his shoulders, her fingers sinking into his thick hair.

It felt as if her stomach were dropping out as her dream form took pleasure from the captain's actions. Her back would arch beautifully, holding him tightly to her as his mouth began moving in a southerly direction. Her own breasts began to tingle in anticipation as he licked one nipple through the flimsy material of her dress before latching on hungrily, placing one hand between her shoulder blades as her dream form began to writhe restlessly in ecstasy. He took the time to pull the strap down from her other breast, eyeing the exposed nipple reverently as it budded tightly in the cool air before dipping his head back down for a proper introduction to his mouth.

More than anything, she wanted to know just what exactly Mal would be doing when he gently eased her dream form back onto the mattress, lifted up her dress, and put his head between her legs. A close second would be why the action made her ache to be touched in the same place with something akin to longing.

She still couldn't fully wrap her mind around what made sex and love go hand in hand, or what purpose was served by putting one's hand or mouth in the place where a man and woman's bodies joined. Or why a man would want his woman to mount him backwards and buck around like a cowgirl. Nevertheless, turning a phrase Kaylee had often used when referencing to Simon, River wanted the captain in a bad way. She wanted him next to her in bed, physically instructing her on every intimate whim her curious mind desired. And some that his desired.

Right after Zoe had her baby and they were planetside, River was going to discover the answer to all her questions. In a matter of hours, a new chapter was going to be entered into her book of life.

Not exactly grasping that the subject might be better left unvoiced, she decided to confront the captain. He didn't know it yet, but his dreams were literally about to come true.

ooovoooo*ooroooo*oowooeooo

He felt her coming up the steps to the cockpit a few moments before she appeared. Standing at the helm and staring out into the ever-present night with a surface calm he was far from actually feeling, it wouldn't look very captain-ly of him to turn tail and run off like a scared little girl.

"Mornin' little one." Mal said, not removing his gaze from the viewing shield.

"Are you able to sense everyone, or do my amplified reading abilities somehow enhance yours?" River asked inquisitively, taking a similar stance beside him as she stared out into space.

"I've never been quite sure, but it's just you that I sense, litl' albatross." Mal answered around a small chuckle, turning his body and attention to her. "As for amplifying anything, I don't know much of anything about that supernatural power of yours."

Consternation made her frown as her spoken thoughts turned speculative. "I've had thoughts about doing...things that Kaylee and Simon do, but I've never dreamed about it before." She said in an abrupt subject change.

"It, Albatross?" Mal queried in a forced aloof tone, an uneasy premonition making his stomach churn.

"Sex." River answered without infliction or hesitation, her dissecting gaze locking onto his.

"I'm not the one you should be talking to. I wouldn't know the first thing about interpreting your dreams or discussing..._delicate_ matters with you. Try Inara." Mal said, physically shaking himself out of her intense scrutiny.

He edged around her and started towards the steps and away from the cockpit, and her, until she stopped him dead in his tracks with her next admission.

But at the rate she'd been going, she probably already knew he would.

"It wasn't Inara I dreamed about. It was you." River said succinctly, turning around slowly to bore her gaze into his stiffly postured back.

His first attempt at speech came out a few octaves too high, and his mouth snapped shut. He cleared his throat and made his best attempt at casual. "You don't say?"

"Yes, I do say." River answered in a serious tone, overlooking the fact that it was a rhetorical question. "Everything was fine. Nothing from your mind for months. Quiet as a tomb. And then, last night happened. Maybe it was because I got that thought from you in the alley..."

"What thought?" Mal interrupted. She hadn't been able to read him? He didn't even know that was possible, much less that he might have possibly been doing it on purpose. No wonder she didn't always react to those telepathic orders he attempted to give her, merely looking back at him with one of her caustic or confused looks.

River forged on as if she hadn't heard him. "...And, like a deluge, I'm dreaming of stealing into your bunk, pulling up my dress, and straddling your lap. Other activities that prelude mating ensue, all of them very enjoyable on my behalf. After waking, I was restless for the precluding hours of my sleep cycle, my heart beating faster than normal with something like anxiety but not as unpleasant, and drifting in and out of slumber with an...ache between my legs.

"Is it possible?" River concluded with a question.

Mal's eyes were scrunched shut in concentration, trying to block out the fresh images her speech had produced. She had an ache between her legs? Did she know how to touch herself to ease that ache? Wait. She'd asked him a question. When he figured he had a reasonable amount of control back, he spoke. "Is _what_ possible, River?"

"The five times you made me fly without wings compared to the two times I gave you." River answered quietly, a hint of curiosity and an eagerness to try pervading her tone as she teased the hem of her skirt between her fingers.

She'd read his dream. Of all the gorramed times... "Sometimes. Timing and circumstances play a factor. But also if the right partner comes along."

He could sense her question before she asked it and instantly regretted his words.

"Could you be my right partner? Could I be yours?" River asked, her innocent questions full of hope.

It would seem that there was at least one deity out there in the verse that liked him, because at that moment, Simon rushed up the steps to the cockpit.

"It's Zoe. She's gone into labor." Simon said in a winded tone. He looked back and forth from Mal to River in scrutiny before continuing. "You might want to set a course for her parents and perhaps send a wave to both hers and Wash's parents about the baby coming." He continued to gaze at Mal speculatively for a few extra moments before he turned and went back the way he'd came.

Mal turned to face River, but she'd already disappeared down the opposite staircase.

ooooonooo*oouooo*oosoooooo

I present a few questions for you. One: earlier in the chapter, River states that as soon as Zoe goes into labor, she was going to confront the captain. But, on the bridge, River never mentions Zoe having gone into labor before she starts in on the captain. Riddle me this: did she know Zoe had gone into labor from her mind reading ability and rushed off to the captain, or was she in such a hurry to...get down to business horizontally with one Malcolm Reynolds that she jumped the gun and didn't know until her brother interrupted? Second, do you want baby Wash to be a boy or a girl? Third, do you want a fully-detailed (ahem) "happy ending", or just something implied? Get back to me at your leisure on those, let 'em stew a little.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note: I will not mention how long it's been. Yes, I'm well aware of how awful I am. Hopefully this and the next chapter (which should be up considerably sooner than the gap between this chapter and the previous) will make up for the fact that I have once again left one of my open stories in neglect. Also, I make a reference to Nalini Singh's Psy/Changelling world (a character's empathetic power, to be precise).

Music suggestions: 'Mercy' by Glee Cast, 'Wheel in the sky' by Journey, 'Prep for flight' by David Newman (Serenity Soundtrack).

Disclaimer: Don't own anything in the Firefly/Serenity universe.

4-The Perfect Woman

A drawn out, gutteral scream echoed through the bowels of the Serenity, its passageways and rooms void of life except for one location.

"Get this baby out of me!" Zoe screamed out, her voice a cross between desperate and infuriated.

The entire mismatched crew crowded in and just outside of Simon's infirmary, tension high in the air as Zoe suffered another round of birthing pains.

Zoe lay in the center of it all on the lone operating table, her usually stoic and expressionless demeanor understandably nowhere to be found. Inara sat in one of the two chairs in the tiny room, to Zoe's left, occasionally mopping Zoe's forehead with a damp cloth. The captain sat in the only other remaining chair, risking life and limb as soon as he'd offered his hand to Zoe, by her side from the moment Simon had informed him and River of Zoe's labor. Mal, literally rooted to the spot by Zoe, wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"Ai ya! My hand!" Mal grunted in an exclamation of pain as Zoe clenched his hand tighter, twisting the captain's arm almost out of its socket as an intense contraction wracked her body.

"That's it, Zoe. Push, push, push." Inara commanded in a practiced soothing tone, clasping Zoe's other hand between both of her own, her eyes brimming with happiness for the oncoming new life about to enter the world.

"Just a few more seconds." Simon informed Zoe in an encouraging tone, promising a temporary respite. He then counted down to zero, releasing his breath in a whoosh as he sagged back against the counter behind him. "We're getting close, Zoe. One more big push. That's it. You'll be done."

"If Wash were here right now, I'd kill him." Zoe threatened, her breathing ragged, and a hint of a deeper pain appearing in her eyes.

"Is it here yet?" Jayne questioned impatiently in a gruff tone, cutting through the silence that followed, peering in from the open doorway with a wary expression. Having a strong grasp on Jayne's arm, Kaylee leaned past him in an attempt to see whoever answered. A cross between worry and bubbly exuberance kept her jittery, unable to keep still, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Not yet, Jayne." Mal replied, his own tone short as his jaw clenched. The mercenary had asked the question every five minutes since Zoe had gone into labor over four hours previous. "Where's River?" Mal asked, meeting Jayne's eyes over Zoe's head.

Somehow, his little albatross had beaten him to Zoe's side as Jayne and Kaylee were each under one of Zoe's arms, shuffling her along to the infirmary, stooped over and whispering words of encouragement to Zoe's stomach as her hands hovered around Zoe's distended belly in small circles. She hadn't let Zoe out of her sight since.

Every time he'd looked up after taking up position by Zoe's side, River had been standing vigil less than five feet away, a militant stance and blank expression on her face. It was a side of River that never ceased to surprise him, to shake his foundations whenever she flipped that particular "on" switch. He almost forgot sometimes that she could hand his ass to him before he even registered her presence. The girl was prepared for anything, any _one_ that dared to look at Zoe the wrong way. Regardless of the fact that they were floating out in the middle of space, a vast nothingness in front of and behind them. Didn't make him any less proud of her.

She was like a mother hen, protecting her hatchlings from any unseen harm. Even if utilizing those skills most likely terrified her, afraid those abilities would turn against her and she'd harm one she saw as her friend. She was the strongest, most powerful woman he would ever know. And that was saying something considering all the women he was lucky enough to have in his life, each forces of nature all on their own.

Inara was like the wind, capable of both gentle breezes and gale-force damage depending on her mood. She spun him about like no other. Zoe was the earth, steady and unrelenting, a woman he could rely on through any situation to be calm and practical. Yet, she was capable of releasing a deeply guarded affection to those she loved, providing protection and life. Kaylee was like fire, always burning and shining so brightly it hurt to look at her. She had an abundance of energy that she was never hesitant to share with others, and it brought life and light to the darker places in his soul.

"She's up at the helm, cross-referencing our plotted course to Zoe's parents with registered Alliance ships scouting the area performin' ship-checks." Jayne informed Mal, hugging Vera to his chest as he stood halfway in the room and halfway out, his face scrunched up in expected disgust at what he might see if he looked too closely.

"Finished, actually." River corrected matter-of-factly as she appeared in his line of sight, the lights of the corridor outside the infirmary bathing her in an ethereal glow. "We should be clear and arrive on Terridan in less than two hours."

"Well done, Albatross." Mal praised her in a light tone, the small genuine smile he reserved just for her forming on his lips before giving her a quick nod and returning his attention to Zoe as her hand crushed his. He grimaced in pain, and would later swear up and down that he could feel bones griding together that weren't otherwise meant to.

River, he thought, was aptly named. She was just that – like water. Her movements were smooth and precise, showing you her course as she meandered through whatever space she occupied. She gave you the sense that she was letting you guide her course, put her on the path you thought was the best one for her. But just as water was prone to do, she'd shift her course, flow against the grain, and decimate anyone or anything in her way. She was the element that one thought was the easiest to contain, yet was the most destructive when those boundaries became weakened and obsolete.

Zoe was the earth that kept him balanced and on the straight and narrow. Inara was the wind that swept him off-course, keeping him on his toes and breathing life into him when he became too complacent. Kaylee was the fire that breathed warmth into the coldest parts of his soul and lit the path away from the darkness that would otherwise swallow him whole.

But River had one of the most important, most delicate of jobs that kept Malcolm Reynolds together, kept him from being a man that was out to destroy himself. She was the lifeforce that flowed through his veins. Every time she looked at him, he could feel pieces of the darkness falling away, as water washed away caked on dirt and grime.

Piece by piece, she was healing his soul.

Trouble was, he didn't want her absorbing any of that darkness. She had plenty of her own. He understood nothing of how her mind worked, what kinds of psychic tricks she kept hidden inside. Did she actually have some way of taking those types of hurts, collect them into her own mind? The closer she got, the stronger the fear became. She needed life and light. Two things that, concerning him, were closer to their way out than not.

Simon's voice sliced through his thoughts. "The head is out, Zoe! Keep pushing!"

A stabbing hot pain sliced up his arm and his vision grayed around the edges as Zoe crushed his hand with a strength she shouldn't have. Indiscernible voices filtered through his brain, the words flowing uncomprehendingly around in his mind, which was primarily focused on the pain in his – what he feared was now broken – hand. Something had to be broken. He hadn't been in this much pain since his first tour as an Independence soldier. His mouth moved in soundless gibberish, unable form _thoughts_, much less words.

His swimming vision passed as he shoved down on the overwhelming hurt, just in time to hear three important words.

"It's a boy." Simon declared jubilantly, holding the squalling baby up gingerly for all to see.

Mal dropped his head into his one functioning hand, the other twitching spasmatically as his breath whooshed out on a groan. "Oh thank God."

At almost the same moment, a similar exclamation of relief was uttered by Jayne, leaning back on the open doorway. _"Wuh de ma. _Thank you._"_

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kaylee and Inara asked in unison. Kaylee's tone was confused yet exuberant while Inara's had been suspicious and confrontational. Kaylee reached over the captain to hand Simon the tools he needed to cut the umbilical cord.

"Never you mind." Mal replied shortly, his head pulling back to study the baby that continued to squall at the top of his lungs. "Zoe?" Mal asked in a worried tone when he noticed she had yet to speak a word. His expression softened at the look of pure joy shining through the exhaustion of four hours of labor.

River's voice sounded clear and melodic over the baby's cries.

"Now she has a physical piece of Wash, instead of the metaphysical one that previously existed only in her heart and mind." River appeared in his line of vision, Jayne having stepped into the room to nonchalantly peer over Zoe's shoulder as Zoe held out her hands for the baby. Simon, having finished cleaning the baby and wrapping him in a tiny blanket, straightened his arms and placed the baby in Zoe's outstretched hands. River's head tilted and an abstract expression stole over her features.

"Zoe's mom is on the comm. I should go answer that." Turning in the direction of the bridge, her mental focus now entirely divided, a steadfast, yet entirely out of place murmur permeated the air. "I want a bubble bath."

Yep, he wouldn't trade any of the women on his boat...but he was damned sure glad they had another man on the ship.

ooowooooo*oooeooooo*oouooooooo

I originally planned (any readers familiar with my work should know how many times I've uttered those three words, lol) to end it with this chapter, but I kind of waxed a little too philosophical during the birth of Zoe's baby boy. And, I have no idea what to name him! Any suggestions? As for the Chinese, I'm trying to expand my horizons. I'm going on the small glossary in the back of Finding Serenity: Anti-heroes, lost shepards and space hookers in Joss Whedon's Firefly. I'm not at all familiar with Chinese, nor do I remember the context of the phrase when Jayne uttered it in the episode "Bushwhacked", but "_wuh de ma_" translates to "Mother of God". In other news, I do plan on "waxing philosophical" for Mal and River in the next chapter once the crew gets planetside, if you know what I mean!


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: Alright, so I'm introducing an original character, Zoe's mother. I'm fairly certain she's never mentioned at any point in the show or movie, so I assigned a name of my own. I just so happened to be listening to Miranda Lambert at the time, so... Anyway. And I totally didn't realize what else the name is famous for (It's only the name of the planet/focal point of the entire movie!) until I was editing it for posting. I decided to just go with it. I hope you like her. I just wanted to give River the mother figure she deserves, at least for a little while. And maybe I also made her a little bit psychic. Nothing much. There's no harm in that, right?

Music suggestions: 'Baggage claim' by Miranda Lambert, 'Addicted to love' by Orianthi, 'Insomnia' by The Veronicas.

Disclaimer: Don't own Firefly/Serenity.

5-The Perfect Woman

Terridan was a medium-sized blue dot in the vast inky blackness that surrounded Serenity when River arrived in the cockpit, and she paused for a second as the sight held her transfixed before shaking herself loose and crossing the deck to the flashing alarm signaling a call on the cortex.

Depressing the button that would answer the wave, River seated herself in front of the screen just as a middle-aged woman that time had favored stared into the screen with a look only mothers seemed able to wield properly.

And in a tone reminiscent of Zoe, Zoe's mother spoke. "For a moment I was wondering if anyone were still alive on that outdated boat." Miranda chastised, crossing her arms over her chest and waiting for River's reply.

"My apologies. I was checking in on Zoe when your wave first came through." River said apologetically, leaning back into the pilot's chair. Shifting uncomfortably, River winced and sat forward. Still didn't fit properly.

The expression on Miranda's face brightened exuberantly. "Well?" she questioned eagerly.

River shrugged a shoulder. "I was right."

Zoe's mother frowned and cursed under her breath. She then returned her gaze to the screen shaking her head. "I should have known better than to bet against that sense of yours. Regardless of the fact that both sides of her family have produced much of nothing but girls for three generations straight."

River smiled, quick and clever, saying nothing in response.

"But then, I didn't take into account Wash's side, did I?" Miranda asked, catching on fast.

"Had a brother. Then three uncles on his mother's side and five uncles and one aunt on his father's." River supplied briskly, happy to finally share the information with someone else. All sorts of memories from Wash had plugged up in her brainpan for months after he was killed.

"How much longer 'till you all get here? Walker won't stop pacing. Guess he was aptly named." Miranda commented glibly, her teasing remark at the end bringing a beaming smile to her face.

"Shouldn't be long now." River stated matter-of-factly. "Two hours. Perhaps less. Need as much time to get everyone ready to touch down planet-side anyhow."

"Fantastic. We'll see you soon!" Miranda said cheerfully, cutting the link. The screen before River went black.

"Bye then." River muttered blankly, surprised by the abruptness of the goodbye. And people thought _she_ was the weird one.

oooaooooo*ooocoooooo*ooooxoooo

River had to admit that being the only pilot had its drawbacks as she listened to the joyful reunion outside with her reading abilities, powering down the ship for an overdue break. Head cocked to one side, her fingers danced across the controls on autopilot until all was silent on the bridge.

Jumping up from the pilot's chair, River jogged down the metal steps and into the belly of Serenity, eager to set foot on the only chunk of solid ground she considered safe and home-like.

Standing patiently at the bottom of the ramp, a woman with dark curly hair thoroughly dispersed with grey, laughing eyes that had experienced a fulfilling life of both happiness and hard times, and hands that had seen an honest life through hard work and determination awaited her. Zoe had an excellent role model to mold herself after.

River slowed her pace as she exited the ship.

"River." Miranda said genially, holding her arms out. "It's good to see you, child."

"And you, Miranda." River returned, a bright smile lighting her face as she folded herself into the elder woman's embrace.

"Why don't you come inside? I already sent everyone ahead of us, and the band is already set up in the den. They're fixin' to start playing any time now." Miranda coaxed in a light tone, already turning River and herself in the direction she'd just indicated.

"You set up a party." River commented circumspectly, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "You did not mention that on your wave."

"Don't be cross, young one." Miranda said breezily, squeezing River's shoulder. "It was a surprise. For all of you. I started putting it together after you all's first wave about Zoe's labor."

"Very well. I suppose it would be pointless to be upset over a surprise party." River grumbled as if she were about to have teeth pulled. Pulling back some to look at Miranda more clearly, River let a little of her curiosity show. "This band you mentioned...are they any good?"

Miranda chuckled good-naturedly. "Of course. Only the best for my baby and her extended Serenity family."

ooooaoooooo*ooouoooooooo*

They'd been planet-side for a little over half a day, and River had already disappeared. Being used to both her children running off to parts of the planet unknown as well as the healing reader's eccentricities, Miranda began searching for River after she'd noticed the young reader's absence. Leaving the boisterous party in the hands of her capable husband, Miranda wandered through the comfortable, yet modest two-story farmhouse she called home.

Finding River in the room she always occupied when visiting, Miranda peered through the partially open door at the pouting psychic perched on her plush bed, hugging a pillow between her bent knees and her chest, her back to the door as she stared out the window at the fading sunlight.

Ignoring the vibes being projected her way, Miranda rapped her knuckles on the door before entering the room. Crossing the space between the doorway and the bed in a few small strides, Miranda eased herself onto the corner of the bed.

"Why aren't you downstairs with everyone else? I whipped up a right nice celebration on the fly for my new grandbaby. I even made sure to include some of your favorite dance music and took it upon myself to invite a few of those charming young men that took a fancy to you the last time you visited. In fact, time before last I caught eye of you, you were having a shiny good time." Miranda clasped her hands in her lap as she made the inquiry.

"Didn't feel much like dancing anymore. Was making some people uncomfortable being there. So I left." River answered in a flat voice, keeping herself still.

"That's nonsense, child. Ain't nobody around here that doesn't want you around. They'd have to answer to me if they didn't. Besides, it seems to me as if all them happy folk down there want to do is play with the baby. Ain't paying much attention to much else." Miranda stated, reaching out one hand to pull back all the hair curtaining River's face. "You're going to miss out on the naming announcement..." Miranda trailed off as a teaser.

"Already know what Zoe's decided on. You call me a child. But a child I am not. Haven't been for awhile." River complained sullenly, hugging her knees tighter to her chest.

"Now listen, child. You may be fully grown and experienced things no youngin' ever should...but I'm still old enough to be your mother and I'll call you child still when I'm 100 and you're 50. Ain't no amount of complaining can change that. Zoe gave up years ago." Miranda lectured in a steely, unyielding tone. "You should instead tell me what's really bothering you."

"He sees me, but he doesn't want to see me. Not the way that he does. Thinks it's wrong. Makes him avoid me." River explained in an obtuse fashion. "Doesn't stop him from being jealous and tetchy when I dance with other boys. Couldn't be happy with his feelings constantly poking at my brain. Won't leave me alone despite all the shiny and joyful thoughts I'm getting from everyone else."

"Sweetheart, haven't you been practicing those exercises I taught you?" Miranda asked in a soothing tone. Her own psychic abilities were far weaker than the tortured girl in front of her, more of a shadowy sixth sense women's intuition, so she had no way of really knowing if the tide could be blocked in her case. Regardless, she had also felt the hostile and angry tones that River mentioned from the captain since the party had started.

"Yes. They help in addition to what I was already employing. But I can't help it during this time. Everything is amplified. Makes concentrating hard. Double edged sword. Can't keep one fixed to repair the other. Spins around in my brain, doesn't stop. Shields crumble, thoughts and feelings leak in and weaken the foundation further. And then the physical pain in my abdomen starts 3-5 days later. A few days after that, the spike recedes back to normal as the system is cleared out and prepares to rebuild." River explained in a matter-of-fact tone, if not peckishly.

Miranda rubbed soothing circles on River's back, sympathy and understanding filling her. "I'm so sorry sweetheart. As if being female alone wasn't trouble enough...tell you what. How's about I draw up one of those nice bubble baths you love? That'll help relax you some. And then maybe afterwhile I'll send you up something special to help you sleep, alright _nyen ching-duh_?"

Nodding her head in acceptance, River turned her head slightly on her knees to look at Zoe's mother. "Thank you. For being Zoe's mother."

ooosooooo*oooeoooooo*oooowoooo

Alright, so there's no (ahem) physical encounters in this chapter. As some of you may know, I'm prone to detailed foreplay, so I'd like to keep it as contained to one chapter as possible. Plus, I wanted to build up some history for Zoe's parents. Maybe in the next chapter we will finally get to just what exactly Zoe (meaning I) named the baby!

So...Chinese translations: _nyen ching-duh_ "young one".


	6. Chapter 6

Author's note: This chapter picks up more or less where we left off in the last chapter. Only now, we're picking it up from Mal's POV. Just a little transition to get Mal and River alone. On another note, I couldn't help myself. I got caught up in the Mal/River dialogue. Their chemistry in both the show as well as the movie inspires me. Besides, you can't really have Mal without a little arguing, no matter who it's with. Also, since I seem to have incorporated quite a bit of Chinese into this chapter, a list of translations is included below.

Music suggestions: 'Speechless' by The Veronicas, 'Believe' by Orianthi, 'Closer to the edge' by Thirty Seconds to Mars.

Disclaimer: Don't own Firefly/Serenity. The Chinese to English translations are pulled from the book Finding Serenity: Anti-heroes, Lost Shepherds, and Space Hookers in Joss Whedon's _Firefly_.

Chinese translations: "_Ai ya_"_/_"damn". "_dong ma_"/"understand". "_yu bun duh_"/"stupid". "_Ching jin_"/"come in". "_Fei hua_"/"nonsense". "_BEE-jway_"/"shut up"."_Wuh de tyen, ah._"/"Dear God in heaven". "_Bao bay_"/"sweetheart".

6-The Perfect Woman

Sliding the door separating the party in the den to the kitchen closed, Mal laid his head wearily against the solid wood. What with Zoe having her baby, having to attend a celebration when he didn't rightly feel like celebrating, and watching River drink a few sips of Inara's expensive wine and enjoy herself on the dance floor with a handful of handsome boys her age vying for her attention, Mal was ready to shut himself up in his room with only his own thoughts and a bed to crash onto.

"Suppose I've lost my flair for throwing a good shindig with two of its attendees cuttin' away early and sulking by their lonesome."

"_Ai ya_, Miranda!" Mal yelped, spinning around quickly to find the person in question. "You're likely to give a man a heart attack, what with that sneakin' in and all."

"Nonsense." Miranda dismissed with a wave of her hand. "Been here the whole time. Now how's about you tell me why _you're_ not enjoying this shiny party I put together, _dong ma_?"

Holding up a glass, he gestured to the chest in the corner of the room. "I'm afraid you're out of the good stuff in there. So I came in here to get myself some more."

"Oh, really." Miranda commented in a noncommittal tone, crossing her arms over her chest. "Any particular reason as to why we've run dry so soon?"

Mal sputtered before he replied in an affronted tone. "It ain't me! It's Jayne and all those other ruffians you invited. I only got to fill my glass twice! All's that's left is that hoity-toity wine Inara likes."

"Mmm hmm." Miranda hummed with her lips pursed. "Would you like to tell me when you turned _yu bun duh_ and ruined my little clairvoyant's fun as well?"

"I did no such thing!" Mal retorted defensively, crossing his arms over his chest as well, walls going up. "I didn't say one word to her the whole time. Granted, there was a word or two I wouldn't have minded saying concernin' those dance partners of hers. Regardless, she took off of her own volition some time ago. Couldn't say where she got off too, either."

"You know very well that you ain't got to say nothin' for that girl to read all the negativity you've been directin' her way. You upset her. That, in turn, makes me unhappy. You will make right with her, or you're gonna wish an Alliance ship flies over and whisks you away for questioning."

"And how, pray tell, am I supposed to go about that? She wants something that can't be." Mal bit out, stepping closer to Miranda, a diluted version of the deadly calm anger that usually only speaking of the battle of Serenity could conjure.

Miranda didn't waver. Instead, she stepped closer as well. "I ain't sayin' it's right, or that I approve. But, she's not my daughter and I've got no say over what she does with her life or who she wants in it. Besides, you should know better than anyone how difficult it can be to dissuade that girl from anything she sets her mind on."

"I...I won't...I _shouldn't _do that to her." Mal admitted quietly, ducking his head slightly as the quick-fire anger drained away.

"You realize you're hurting her more than you're hurting yourself, don't you?" Miranda declared in a low tone, clasping one hand under his chin to lift his gaze to hers. He said nothing in reply. Patting his face depreciatively, Miranda broke the tension between them and turned away. "Before you do anything, though, I suggest you take a bath. Get cleaned up. I won't have you all hangin' around my homestead, smelling like livestock, fish, and whatever else you all get yourselves trapped up in. Don't worry about the rest of the crew. I'll make sure they get to where they need to be."

ooooeoooo*ooowoooo*oooocoooxooo

Hesitating in front of the washroom – the only full bath in the house not connected to a bedroom – Mal knocked lightly on the closed, heavy wooden door.

"_Ching jin_." River's voice echoed in invitation a few moments later.

The knob turned easily beneath his fingers as Mal eased the door open. Stepping inside, he then pushed the door shut behind him. The temperature of the room spiked at least ten degrees and the humidity settled around him immediately. Looking across the short distance separating them, Mal took in River's appearance for the first time.

"Didn't really take you as the bath type." Mal stated observationally, leaning back against the door he'd just passed through.

River skimmed her fingers over the surface of the water, testing the temperature before rising up to look at the captain. "I wasn't. Brought back too many bad memories." River held up a hand as Mal attempted to speak. "But then we came here. Zoe's mother is a wonderful woman, pure of spirit, strong as steel. Just like Zoe. She helped me. Helped me make new memories...helped me enjoy things I used to fear. Now a bath full of bubbles and sweet scented water is a rare indulgence that I can't wait to fulfill with every visit."

Clearing his throat uncomfortably, he then shifted from foot to foot. "Zoe's mother sent me this way. She politely insisted that I bathe as soon as possible. She already knew you were in here, didn't she?" Mal finished, the question posed more as a statement of fact as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Would you like to join me?" River asked instead, gesturing towards the ¾ full bathtub with a sweep of her hand.

"I'm a little old for foolin' around in a bathtub, lit'l albatross." Mal commented affectionately, one corner of his mouth curling upward.

River bent down to twist the taps, shutting off the steady stream of water. Brushing her hands on her silk robe, she rose back up to her full height. "We don't have to do anything. But I would really like for you to join me. The tub is more than accommodating for both of us." Untying the sash of her robe, River then began to pull the robe open. "I'd really hate to waste the opportunity."

Mal spun quickly, pivoting to face the bathroom door as River finished disrobing. The silken wrap pooled to the floor as River shrugged it from her shoulders and stepped over the rim of the tub. The sound of water sloshing gently was his only indication of her settling into the bath.

A hum of bliss as inch after inch of her bare skin sank into the hot yang-ylang scented water. "I take the time to unwind in such a manner every time we visit. It relaxes and soothes me. I would like to share the experience with you now. I promise I will not try to act upon any of my sexual curiosities while we bathe. Please?"

Groaning, Mal's head fell against the door as if in pain, images provoked by her words once again. Her body was going to be wet, soapy and bare, pressing all along his. He didn't much believe in God, but he sent up a prayer for strength as he reluctantly gave in to her request. What was the worst that could happen? Reaching out, he slid the deadbolt lock on the door into place.

"Now darlin', I don't want you peeking at me while I'm undressing, _dong ma_?" Mal requested in his captain voice, pulling his suspenders off his shoulders.

After a long suffering sigh she had to have picked up from Inara, River laid her head on the padded waterproof headrest and closed her eyes. "Take away half the fun, why don't you? Not like I haven't seen it before." River murmured in response.

Mal turned to face River, making sure she held up his request as he undressed.

He was far from modest or insecure about his manly physique, but River was young and beautiful, nare a scar on her perfect body. He was way past thirty, and his rough and tumble way of living had left its permanent marks all over his body. He wasn't dashing and whipcord handsome anymore. Now he was tired and weathered, scarred and battle weary. He wanted to please the little woman in front of him. He simply doubted his follow-through. Only a small part of the reason why he'd held back for so long.

He'd just finished unbuttoning and pulling off his shirt, started in on yanking off his right boot when River commented on his progress.

"The water will be cold and I will resemble a prune before you are finished undressing."

"Not all of us came into this wearing the appropriate attire for bathing, albatross." Mal replied dryly, standing from the toilet to unhook his trousers.

"As a general rule, don't men rush at the chance to be with a willing, already naked woman?" River tossed back teasingly.

"_Fei hua_." Mal retorted in a affronted tone, waving her comment off with a scoff as he pulled one leg free from his trousers. An ounce of uncertainty entered his mind. How did she know he still had clothes on? "Are you sure you're not looking?"

"Fairly certain." River answered in a deadpan tone. "Psychic or otherwise."

Mal had just finished pulling off his pants, holding his pants in front of his otherwise exposed body as he paused thoughtfully. "You can do that?"

Instead of saying anything, a self-righteous smirk quirked River's mouth.

Placing his folded clothes on the counter next to the sink, Mal resisted the urge to cover any visible man bits just in case she wasn't yanking his chain. It didn't help that the smirk on her face grew even more devilish as he finished the thought.

"_BEE-jway._" Mal ordered in a murmuring tone, choking back the laughter in his voice. Standing at the edge of the tub, Mal stared down at River, her smirk melting into a softer edged smile as she relaxed. "Alright, lit'l albatross, scoot forward."

Obeying his instruction, River leaned forward to rest her chest on her bent legs and moved to the center of the tub. Lifting his left foot over the lip of the tub, Mal turned his foot to face River and slowly swiveled his other foot in. Easing his way down, careful not to brush against River and preemptively set something off this early on, he stretched his legs out, and settled in under the water behind River. Tilting back until his head came into contact with the small headrest, Mal rested his arms along the rim of the tub and sighed blissfully.

"_Wuh de tyen, ah._" Mal groaned out, the weariness and tension in his body already beginning to ebb away. "River, darlin', I don't believe I've taken a bath in years. Quite possibly the dumbest thing I've ever done."

Still leaning on her bent legs with the right side of her head laying on her knees, River smiled faintly. Now that she was actually in a bathtub with her captain, completely naked, uncertainty crept up her spine. What was she supposed to do now?

"Come on back, darlin'. There's no need for you to be sitting up all uncomfortable-like." Mal said in a cajoling tone.

Tendrils of long dark hair that had escaped the high knot she'd secured to the top of her head clung to her wet back. If she did as he asked, there would be literally nothing separating them. She might even feel his...well _him_. What if it was already hard? What if it wasn't? Should she be insulted if it wasn't? Would he expect her to do something about it if he was?

She was thinking way too hard.

"But what if, when my flesh comes into contact with yours, it causes...a reaction? I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable when I already promised that I wouldn't instigate any..."

"_Bao bay_, stop thinking so much and just lay back." Mal commanded in a light tone, placing both hands on her shoulders to gently tug her towards him.

"You've never called me that before." River stated in a complicit tone, following his urging without resistance. Tilting her head up to look at his face once her back rested on his chest, River clasped her hands above her breasts and waited for him to answer her unvoiced question.

"Well, you've never been my sweetheart before now, have you?" Mal stated lightly, bringing one hand up to trace a finger down the curve of her up-tilted face.

"And I am now?" River asked hopefully, a skeptical expression accompanying the words.

One corner of Mal's mouth twitched upward. "I don't share a bath with just anyone, albatross."

Shifting ever so slightly, River laid her cheek on Mal's chest. Placing her loosely clasped hands over his heart, River bit her lip to contain the exuberant happiness that threatened to spill out of her mouth. Laying still, River concentrated on her captain's steady heartbeat, its cadence eroding the remaining unease in her mind.

Minutes passed with River curled up in Mal's arms, a sense of peace settling in his heart that never had before. He was shoulder deep in a bubble bath with a woman that was practically half his age, his ship parked about a quarter mile down the road, planet-side, in the childhood home of his first officer. So out of place, so far from all the things that usually gave him comfort, he should be irritable and itching to leave. In fact, he had been just hours before.

But instead, he'd give anything in that moment to never have to let go of the graceful woman laying against him. He would even go so far as to say that, if anyone were to intrude before he was damn well ready to leave this room, he might even snatch up the pistol he'd laid within easy reach and shoot the unlucky bastard.

He could only hope it'd be Jayne.

He was almost completely sure that he was almost completely in love with the strong yet fragile albatross he'd taken into his care almost three years previous.

Unfortunately, his body was slowly becoming aware of the beautiful, soapy, _naked _female body pressed all intimately against his. The less than innocent thoughts his brain began to churn out weren't helping matters much, either.

_Now_ he remembered why he didn't bathe with women. Because _every_ time he had, he'd ended up in bed with them. He was a man, and as such, had zero impulse control.

His hands practically itched to lay River flat on his chest and coax her legs open...let his hand trail down the inside of her silky thigh until he cupped the most precious part of her and let his fingers wander...

"You do know that what you're doing is very mean, right?" River commented in a drowsy tone, the fingers of her left hand lightly tracing along his right pectoral. "You are aware of my feelings for you and yet you hold back physically. All thoughts, but no follow-through."

"Stop reading my thoughts!" Mal ordered in a vexed and slightly panicked tone, his hand clamping down on hers.

"I can't help it! You're broadcasting as loud as an Oaty commercial on Chinese New Year!" River countered tartly, rolling onto her back and crossing her arms over her chest.

"I am not!" Mal argued defensively, frowning as if he wasn't entirely sure.

River rolled her eyes. "Perhaps it is _my_ senses that are heightened. They tend to peak a few days before my..." at this River paused and pursed her lips. "Well, around this time."

At hearing the uncomfortable pause in River's voice, some of the crossness he'd directed at her softened. "I grew up with three older sisters and a ma, darlin'. You don't have to worry about mentioning any words revolving around "cycle" with me. It was either get accustomed, or die."

A small smile crept onto River's lips. "Simon and Kaylee have told me on multiple occasions that the subject of a woman's menstrual cycle makes men uncomfortable."

"That's true, _bao bay_. I wouldn't suggest going up to Jayne and bringing up the subject any time soon." Mal agreed good-naturedly, squeezing the more delicate hands trapped beneath his.

A quiet, tinkling laughter entered the room, reaching Mal's ears and making the grin on his face widen. He always felt thoroughly proud of himself when he made her smile. Because it seemed that he made her unhappy more often than not. Maybe that was going to change soon enough.

"I'm sorry about earlier at the party, darlin'. I know it was my thoughts that made you cut out early." Mal apologized, smoothing his hand up and down her right forearm. "Made you miss out on the naming and everything."

"It's alright." River said in response, reaching one wet hand from the water to pat his face. "You can't help it. Being cantankerous and ill-mannered."

"I prefer brooding and mysterious myself." Mal countered in a mostly serious tone, pulling her wet hand from his face and grasping it as he placed it back on her chest.

River smiled. "I think that Lucas Hoban Washburne is an excellent name for Zoe and Wash's new baby."

"I...indeed, it was." Mal stuttered, momentarily caught off-guard by River's knowledge. He really shouldn't have been surprised.

oooosooooo*ooozooooeoo*ooooaooooeooo

This is not it. I repeat, this is not the end, lol! I love writing foreplay. This time is no different. See, look! I named the baby! I sort of named him after Wash. After some thought, I decided to go with one of my favorite character's names from the Psy/Changelling series by Nalini Singh. Seeing as how I had to cut this chapter in half (again), the next chapter has mostly been already written. It'll pick up right where this one left off. I'm not even going to try and predict how many chapters are left, lol. It practically never works out that way. But, I can tell you that the next chapter should be up by the end of the week.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's note: Here we are...more Mal and River bathtub banter, a few minutes after the end of the last chapter. But, it is here for your reading pleasure as promised, by the end of the week. Besides, we're heading in the right direction (wink, wink).

Music suggestions: 'Open your heart' by Madonna, 'Got you (where I want you)' by The Flys.

Disclaimer: Don't own Firefly/Serenity. Just a DVD box set of _Firefly_, a DVD of _Serenity_, and a Blu-ray of _Serenity_. As well as a few books based on the series. But not actual ownership rights...whether it be writing, producing, or creating the series.

7-The Perfect Woman

Silence enveloped them once more, their entwined hands occasionally shifting as River examined them thoroughly, the fingertips of her other hand tracing the contours with a delicate touch.

"I have never actually touched myself." River confessed hesitantly. On its heels was a clarification. "The way you think about in your mind. I know what's supposed to happen, but I'm afraid it won't work the way it's supposed to. Never had any reason to think that it should."

"River, darlin..." Mal began in a gentle tone, his grip tightening on her hand. She shook her head negatively and interrupted him before he could say anything further.

"Please. Don't say anything." River pleaded in a firm tone. His grip loosened minutely, choosing instead to stroke his fingers supportively over her knuckles. After a deep breath, she continued. "For a long time, I thought that I wasn't meant to do people things. That I was the crazy girl that could be turned into a weapon with a simple command. And for awhile, I thought it best for everyone if I distanced myself from my humanity. I thought I didn't deserve to be happy. But then I was activated, worst nightmare turned into reality, and you helped me. You took me in despite discovering my darkest secret. And the truth of Miranda burning up my brain...you helped me untangle the mess and in the end, broadcast it to the entire 'verse. I took all the parts of my psyche and was able to start putting them back together. You gave me your faith, your trust. That, perhaps more than anything else, made me believe that I just might get better. That I might...one day be more of a person than a weapon. And for that, I thank you."

"I really have no idea how to respond to that." Mal said after a few heartbeats, unconsciously pulling her in tighter against him.

"I just wanted you to know part of the reason why you're the man I choose to be with. Like this." River imparted softly, a relaxed smile lighting up her face.

"Well, then...thank _you_, albatross." Mal replied, one corner of his mouth quirking up as he gazed down at her. "And I don't want to come off as accusatory to your confession and all, but it almost sounded like you were leading up to something else. Something about my thoughts and you touching yourself."

"And you tell me you're not psychic." River quipped in a affectionate tone, reaching up with her free hand to poke her index finger lightly against his temple.

"Perhaps a slight bit when it concerns you." Mal tossed back, a roguish grin twisting his mouth as his eyes twinkled mischievously. "Or maybe you're just so predictable that even a blind man could pick up the clues."

Glaring at him with no real malice, River scooped up a handful of water and tossed it in his face.

"How's that for predictable?" River questioned tartly, her lips twisting into a smirk.

Mal sputtered and exaggerated wiping the droplets from his face before he replied. "If we weren't completely naked in a tub full of water, I would so go Captain Ticklemonster on you."

"Ticklemonster?" River asked around a snort of laughter. "What are we, five?"

"No!" Mal defended, his tone barely masked mischief. His fingers danced along one of her arms. "I'd say at least thirteen."

"Thirteen?" River repeated, her tone playful. She twisted partially in the water, clutching one arm to her breasts as she sat up to see him clearly. Her droll, "you're an idiot" expression firmly locked in place on her face.

"I'd say that's about right. Still didn't mind playing with girls, even with their cooties, but I was warming up to the idea of wanting to see and play with those." Mal finished explaining, directing a quick glancing motion to her twins.

"Would you have played with me?" River asked ambivalently, sticking her nose up in the air pretentiously.

"Not quite sure, if we're being honest here." Mal answered lightly. He rallied forward after her slight frown. "I don't mean this as an insult, darlin', but you would have intimidated the hell out of me. Being the son of a modest rancher on a backwater planet that no one cares about. On the other hand, though, I've always been known for having more guts than brains. I'd have probably snuck up on you a time or two and tugged your braids before hightailing it out of there. As a sign of affection, of course."

The frown lines faded and her eyes crinkled in amusement. "That sounds like something you might do. What about now?" Leaning forward, she placed her bent arms on his chest, separating their faces by mere inches.

His heart-rate sped up and his breaths came out shallow and fast. Almost as fast as the mood had shifted between them. He ducked down the path that had never failed him before: misdirection and sarcasm.

"You always were kind of a tease, you know that?" Mal stated observationally, raising an eyebrow at her closeness.

River's eyes danced back and forth in confusion, as if trying to pinpoint specific cases in her mind. After a few seconds, she gave up. "When?"

Mal chuckled. "What's the definition of always, darlin'?" Taking pity on her, he decided to recount a specific instance that had been at the top of his list since its occurrence. "Alright, albatross. Do you remember over half a year back, some time after Miranda, when I caught you doing laundry in one of Jayne's shirts?"

"Yes." River supplied briskly, signifying that she was on the same page and listening.

"Do you remember how I reacted?" Mal continued, switching hands as he brought his dry hand down to glide across her smooth back. "How I pulled off my coat and made you switch them out before Jayne caught sight of you?"

Nodding, she made a counter argument. "I still don't understand what the problem was. I needed something to wear while I washed all my clothes. We don't get the chance very often and I wanted to clean everything I owned. His shirt was the first I came across in the laundry bin." She finished her comment with a faint pout.

"Men like seeing women in their clothes, albatross. An attractive woman such as yourself wearing a man's shirt...it gives a man ideas...intimate ideas. I didn't want Jayne having those kinds of thoughts about you, _dong ma_?" Mal explained in a firm tone, capturing her chin between his thumb and index finger as his eyes met hers again, expressing what words would not.

Nodding her head minutely in the affirmative, River folded her arms and rolled completely onto her stomach. Resting her head against her hands, River's chest came into full contact with Mal's. Seemingly unaware of the implications of her shifting, much less uncomfortable with it, River seemed to concede his point. Having her breasts pressing into his chest, however, gliding with the barest of movements with her every breath, Mal was giving it a valiant effort to not have a physical reaction to her new position with her feet swaying back and forth in the air. Whether she realized it or not, she still had the upper hand in this situation.

Appearing lost in thought for a few moments, she then voiced a question at random. "Were you jealous that I'd donned one of Jayne's shirts instead of one of yours? Is that part of the reason why you had me put on your coat instead?"

"I'm not gonna lie to you, _bao bay_. You have a pair of gorgeous legs, and I really wouldn't have objected to seeing them peeking out from beneath one of my button-ups. Maybe a few of the top buttons undone as well. The sleeves rolled up to your elbows, hair tied up in a loose braid tumbling over one shoulder, heat and steam from the water forming beads of sweat on you skin to trickle down..." Mal trailed off, aware that he was probably admitting too much. Clearing his throat, he concocted a new answer. "Besides, orange isn't really a good color on anyone."

He could feel River's smile as well as if he could see it right in front of him. "Did you have thoughts?"

"I'd have to be blind and a complete idiot with no brain function not to." Mal replied without any hesitation.

"If I may, could you tell me what these thoughts entailed?" River asked hesitantly, turning her head slightly to glance up at Mal.

"Well, my first thought was '_she's really filled out quite nicely since I first brought her on board._'" Mal admitted with a low rumble at his own expense. A small, amused smile tugged at River's lips. He paused and looked down at her warily. "Are you sure you want to hear this? It goes mostly downhill from there. And you could probably look it up in my brain anyway."

"Yes, I could." River admitted quietly. "But it'd be nice to hear you say it out loud."

"How come it's just my thoughts you wanna hear spoken?" Mal asked curiously. "Jayne, I understand. But how come it's never Zoe or Kaylee, or even your brother?"

River pulled herself back up onto her elbows, her face rising up to be more at level with his. "I like the sound of your voice. It's pleasing to my senses."

"Is it now?" Mal questioned in a laughing tone. "Well, how can I stop now after such a flattering comment?" Bringing both arms down, he took a hold of her shoulders and coaxed her into her original position on her back. "Why don't you get into a more comfortable position, and I'll talk some more."

"I also knew that you talking about yourself has never been a hardship for you." River quipped dryly as she settled back in on her back, her feet thanking her for submerging them back underneath the warm water.

"Shush. I'm talking now." Mal reprimanded her in passing, rushing on into his recounting before she could make some other kind of snarky rebuttal. "My next thought was one that, admittedly, would have been thought by any man that didn't lean the other direction. '_I wonder if she's wearing anything under that shirt_?'" Mal said, his fingers idly tracing up and down one of River's arms.

"I wasn't." River interjected after he finished his comment, tilting her head up on his chest with an apologetic yet antagonizing expression.

"That's my whole point, darlin'. You're a natural born tease." Mal countered in a wry tone, holding her gaze with his own swaggering expression.

"Like you're really one to talk." River commented dryly.

His tone and expression all serious, he sold his next line. "It takes one to know one, albatross."

River harrumphed and and laid back down. Crossing her arms under her breasts, River provided a sarcastic comment for him to continue. "Now that we've got that all straightened out, could we get back on track please?"

"It's kind of hard to keep hold of, what with you interruptin' all the time. Put's a man right out of the proper mood." Mal taunted in an affronted tone.

"Maybe I should just look into your head while I've got the extra amplification." River threatened. "This would go by a lot faster without all the extra hot air."

"Alright, albatross." Mal conceded, calling her bluff. "I'll even make it easy for you and think about just that right now."

"Fine." River clipped out shortly. Mal bit back a grin and instead closed his eyes, focusing just as he'd told her he would.

Closing her eyes, she tilted her head and searched for the thread that led to Mal's inner thoughts. When she opened her eyes, it wasn't to the bathtub on Zoe's home planet, but to an empty ship and Mal climbing the steps to the kitchen area, drawn by a faint humming sound. Looking through his eyes, the scene opened up to River leaning partially over the sink, plunging and scrubbing one of her dresses on an old-fashioned washboard. She was wearing one of Jayne's t-shirts.

Although, if she remembered correctly, and she always did, that shirt had been at least three inches longer than the way Mal remembered it.

The first two thoughts came in rapid succession, confirming Mal's earlier confessions. The third one hit her like a shock of lightening.

'_I wonder if she'd cause me bodily harm if I walked up behind her, pulled her flush against me, nudged her legs apart, and found out for myself what she's got on underneath there._'

That wasn't all.

'_If she didn't, would she want me to stroke her to orgasm? I wonder if she's ever experienced anything like that. Couldn't half-ass it. Wouldn't want to. She deserves that good, pleasured afterglow effect, and I'll be damned if I don't give her more than she deserves. And with that sunshining day we have, be the perfect lighting. Be able to see everything after I lift her up on the table in the center of the room. Have to get rid of that shirt, though. Where'd she get that gorramed shirt? Knew I shouldn't have done my laundry yesterday. Had a pile of clothes right at the top._'

She startled herself out of his memory by a bubble of laughter escaping her lips. Opening her eyes, it was to Mal looking down at her with an intent expression.

"If you're laughing, it means you didn't get to the good part." Mal commented softly, a slight smile pulling at his mouth. "I started getting very graphic. Very good visuals. I practice, just so you know."

"How long exactly did you stand there and just watch me do laundry?" River asked curiously, one eyebrow quirking.

"Not sure, exactly. Long enough for my image of you to be completely and irrevocably corrupted." Mal replied with a shrug.

"And, just so we're clear," River stated casually, "I wouldn't have caused you bodily harm. By scent alone I would have been able to identify you before you got close enough to provoke a self-defensive action."

A warm smile pulled at his mouth, and he pulled a loose tendril of hair away from her face. "Good to know."

oooaooooo*ooorooooocooo*ooxoooovooo*

Yep. I'm sort of evil. Lol. I'm working on the next segment, (it's adorable...and kind of hot), but I'm thinking it won't be uploaded as quickly as this one was. Hope you enjoyed this update!


	8. Chapter 8

Author's note: I put a little bit of a spin on one of my favorite Linda Howard lines. It's simple, yet every time I think of it, I chuckle inside. I could also totally picture it coming out of Mal's mouth.

Music Suggestions: 'I won't let go' by Rascal Flatts, 'Speechless' by The Veronicas, 'Courage' by Orianthi.

Disclaimer: Don't own Firefly or Serenity.

8-The Perfect Woman

A comfortable silence settled once again after River finished perusing Mal's mind. Until a mirthful smile blossomed on Mal's face.

"I'm sure you've stumbled across this some long time passed, but I'm gonna tell you this anyhow." Mal stated matter-of-factly, making sure she kept eye contact. "When it comes to all this physical pleasure nonsense, there's but one simple requirement for men."

Predictably, River latched on, as if a hound latching on to a scent. "What is it?"

One corner of Mal's mouth lifted, as if the answer already amused him. "_Breathing_, albatross."

That earned him a smack on the chest. "I thought you were being serious." River said petulantly.

"I am." Mal stressed seriously in reply. A snort of laughter belied his comment. "Seriously though, darlin', being a man myself, I can tell you we're not the complex creatures you women make us out to be. Just throw in an ounce of attraction, a touch here and there, mayhap a vocal sound of pleasure just to let us know you're enjoying yourself as well as we are, and we're good to go."

"You mean there aren't any general rules to go by?" River questioned, sounding perplexed. "Anything on which to build the foundation? Surely there is more to it than _breathing_."

Mal chuckled, a low and deep rumble that shook through River. Yep. That was his albatross. Could give you an estimated TOA between your current position in the black to any moon or planet in the 'verse without even consulting a cortex. But try and explain the concept of love and feelings, something that couldn't be quantitated or explained, and she floundered.

If she wanted building blocks, what other choice did he have other than to give her some?

"Alright, _bao bay_, I'll give you a few basic rules." Mal lectured, lacing his fingers through hers on her chest. His chin and left side of his face rested on her hair. "First, men like looking and touching these." Touching his index finger lightly to her collarbone, he traced a path down her sternum, under the water, causing the back of her hand to graze the underside of one breast as he finished their path down her chest with their joined hands to sink to the bottom of the tub.

River sucked in a deep breath and voiced a breathless question. "What if they're small? Isn't size proportional to attention span?"

"That depends on the man." Mal replied informatively. His fingertips grazed back and forth idly along River's hip. "I'm supposin' it's the same way a man feels about his particular adequacies. In which case, I'm sure neither of us has much to worry about. But if you ever catch me starin', it's not because nothing's wrong. I might just be gettin' distracted."

"Is there anything else?" River asked in a hushed tone.

"There is, as a matter of fact." Mal replied enthusiastically. "Men are, for the most part, very touchy-feely. And, aside from these two up there, we really like getting acquainted with this part of you down here." Mal stated in a more sober tone, pointing his finger from their side up at her chest before moving their hands over to lay on her belly. As he finished speaking, he tapped his index finger softly against the soft part of her abdomen. "So you'd best be comfortable with the idea of my hand between your legs, because soon enough, it's probably gonna be nestled there. A lot."

Something resembling a whimper passed River's lips and she shifted restlessly, reflexively attempting to coax his hand into just that position. Mal smiled into River's hair warmly and pulled their linked hands from her stomach. Leading her hand up to his lips, he pressed a light kiss to the damp skin.

"That ain't going to be happening right this minute, darlin'." Mal imparted affectionately, draping their hands over the rim of the tub. "There's one more piece of information you need to be knowin'. Perhaps the most important. The one that stands above all the others."

"What's that?" River queried in a slightly transfixed tone, as if her mind were miles away. Most likely caught up in that thought he'd been havin' with their hands being so close to her womanhood and all.

"It's the simplest thing, and yet, it's what leads to most physically intimate encounters." Mal stated in a low tone, his thumb rubbing back and forth along her hand, drawing her attention back. "Why don't you come on up here, darlin', and I'll show you what it is."

He found it rather ironic, her being the careful one, her movements slow and easy as if she were trying to tame a wild mustang as she pulled away from him and sat up. Tucking her legs between his, one arm protecting her modesty, she splayed one hand on his chest for balance as her eyes inched upward to meet his. Wariness and uncertainty clearly visible in her eyes. And given his treatment to her feelings before this night, she had every right to be.

He was tired of running. She'd find that out sooner rather than later.

"There's no reason to be tense. It's only a kiss, River." Mal said gently, one hand rising to massage her shoulder encouragingly.

"Not the first." River supplied flatly, her eyes focusing on his left ear.

Mal was mighty proud of his control over his emotions when the only visible reaction to that statement was a minute tightening of his grip around her arm. "Oh, really?" Mal asked in an impartial tone.

"There was a boy, back in elementary." River said in response, head tilted in remembrance. "Really shy, had a crush on me. I could tell he would never approach me, so I went to him. At recess, when no one was looking. Just the barest brush of lip-to-lip contact. He smiled afterwards, then ran away. Not exactly what I was expecting."

Relaxing his hand from around her arm, Mal smoothed his hand upwards to cup the nape of her neck. "I can promise you, darlin', that I won't be going nowhere after this one."

"No," River declared softly, absolute certainty in her tone as she followed Mal's gentle pressure against the back of her neck. Her eyes drifted to his lips as he leaned in as well. The next words were a whisper on his lips. "You won't."

Then his lips came into contact with hers, and his toes curled into the porcelain beneath them. Fitting his lips around her lower one, he sipped at it while he could feel hers tugging gently at his upper. After a scant few seconds, he pulled back. Not too far. Far enough to take in air, but still close enough to share that air with the one you were playing nice-like with.

Kissing this girl, along with all that came packaged with it, was going to be a lot more fun than he'd originally predicted.

Of course, whenever there's feelings involved, just about anything you do with that person exceeds your original expectations.

"Pretty sure I'm gonna have to do that again." Mal declared softly, the hand at the back of her neck gliding around to her face, his fingertips grazing the smooth skin reverently. "A mite more thoroughly, I might add."

"Practice makes perfect." River added in agreement, her words whispering across his lips as he leaned in again.

Their mouths met, not quite as gently as the first time, a firm but soft pressure stroking all her senses. Releasing the arm covering her chest, River reached up and draped her arm over his shoulder, her fingers digging into the firm skin between his shoulder blades as she hitched herself up to a more even level. Turning partially on her side, River lifted her left leg out of the water and laid it around his right. Her right leg and body were now pinned between Mal's thighs. This way, her body was no longer twisted uncomfortably. She could make out with her captain with no discomfort.

His free hand wound its way around her waist, anchoring in on her opposite hip. His lips parted slightly under hers, and from the gentle tugging motion his hand on her chin was implying, insisting that she do the same. Her mouth opened willingly, and the kiss became needy, a desperation to fulfill a hunger that had never been acknowledged before that point.

Curiosity sparked through her brain when she felt something beneath her that hadn't been there before. Something very phallic in shape. The curiosity wasn't enough to cause her any real pause, however, as her mouth moved enthusiastically with his. The hand on his chest moved up to Mal's other shoulder, bringing their bare chests together as Mal sat up from his reclined position and the support she'd had between them repositioning itself.

Pulling back for air, a roguish grin appeared on Mal's lips as he gasped in a few ragged breaths. Eyes heavy-lidded, River's eyes opened wide as Mal's hand caressing her face slipped under her knees and lifted, shifting her into his lap.

"It was startin' to get a mite uncomfortable down there." Mal admitted, smoothing the hand underneath her knees out and across the tops of her knees before sliding down the outside of her left thigh.

"We wouldn't want that, would we?" River murmured in a nurturing voice, bringing one hand to his face to trace his lips with one finger.

Mal couldn't do much more than shake his head negatively as River shifted on his lap, following her coaxing to straighten out his legs and cross them slightly at the ankle, a loose lotus position.

"There are a couple different ways I can help with that situation." River implied casually, the hand at his lips marking a trail down his chest.

"I was thinking more along the lines of doing something for you instead." Mal insisted instead, catching her hand halfway down his abdomen and moving it back to its previous position around his neck. His hand went to her side, his thumb grazing the underside of her left breast. "Small steps, darlin'."

"As long as they lead to the big ones." River countered breathlessly as his thumb crested on the opposite side of her breast. River let her head loll onto Mal's shoulder, rolling her face to his neck and drawing a shaky breath as his hand engulfed the small orb and squeezed. Forehead pressed against Mal's neck, River opened her eyes and looked down.

The sight of Mal's hand on her bare flesh was the most erotic thing she'd ever experienced. Even after what transpired in that alley. She couldn't help but ask her next question.

"Are you watching?" River asked in a voice that didn't sound at all like her own.

It took him a moment to find his voice, mesmerized at the sight of his right hand reshaping the malleable flesh in his palm, the contrast of texture as her nipple formed a tight little peak under his light petting. The vision of her neglected breast mirroring the one he currently occupied, the point rosy and proud as it jutted forward, inviting his attention.

"Yes." Mal answered simply, his tone low and husky.

River hummed a sound of approval, a sensual response that went straight to Mal's groin. "Good." River replied, nipping her teeth experimentally at the skin right beneath her mouth. His pulse fluttered beneath her lips at her actions.

"Best watch that nibblin', albatross." Mal threatened lightly, his touch increasing minutely in pressure. "I might just be forced into retaliating."

Picking up a line from his dream fantasy, River shifted her weight and brought one leg around to settle between his, balancing her weight by straddling his left leg and putting her left hand on the lip of the tub. "Go ahead. I dare you." Then she bit his neck again.

Beneath her right butt cheek, she felt a part of Mal rise to full attention. "Now that's hardly fair, darlin'. You using lines from my own fantasies. And you remember what comes after that line, don't you?"

Nodding her head, she then rotated back far enough to look up into his eyes. "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't."

"You know I can't do that here. We'd need a bed for that." Mal informed her, his fingers still rolling and twisting her breast.

"Then maybe," River began, placing her hand over his to still his movements. "We should find a bed."

"You know what?" Mal asked purposefully. Searching out the stopper chain with his toes, he located it and unplugged it. "I believe that sounds like a marvelous idea."

ooocoooo*oooroooooo*ooouooooo

Yay! They're finally getting out of the tub! (Rubbing hands together mischievously) That means we're _that_ much closer to the _really_ good stuff.


	9. Chapter 9

Author's note: This chapter picks up right after the end of the last chapter, when they finally decide to leave the bath. So, so, _so _sorry about my extended absence from this story. The sexitimes just would not happen! Obviously, they finally did, thanks to a little help from Alesia G. BTW, I ordered a Firefly map of the verse, and oh my God is it awesome! It's two-sided and one side lists out every sun, planet, and moon in the Firefly/Serenity universe. Oh, and I totally borrowed a phrase from _Spartacus: Vengeance. _Warm, happy vibes to those who discover it.

Music suggestions: 'We owned the night' by Lady Antebellum, 'Crazy girl' by Eli Young Band, 'There you'll be' by Faith Hill.

Disclaimer: Don't own Firefly.

9-The Perfect Woman

"Perhaps if you move back between my legs here, turn around, and stand up slowly albatross, maybe we can both get out of this tub without any mishaps." Mal said, retracting his hand from her breast reluctantly and placing both hands along the rim of the tub so as to not hinder her movement.

"Very well." River replied in a compliant, yet slightly petulant, tone. Bracing her right foot on the floor of the tub, River pivoted her weight as she lifted her bent left leg parallel to the surface of the water and ended in a crouch with both feet in the water and her hands splayed for balance on Mal's lower thighs, just above his knees.

Mal squeezed the porcelain beneath his palms tightly to resist reaching out for River as she stood slowly and fluidly from the lukewarm water, rivulets of water gliding down her back, her backside, her legs.

Not too much longer. He'd be able to touch her however he saw fit real soon. He just had to make it from this quickly draining tub to his bedroom down the hall. Less than two minutes and they could get started down a...hopefully...very long and pleasurable road.

Apparently, he'd closed his eyes in an attempt to concentrate better on not reaching out to her. He cracked them open when a finger lightly tapped his forehead. River loomed over him with an amused smile lighting her face as she held out a towel for him. She'd already wrapped herself up in her own fluffy towel and held both her wrap as well as his discarded clothes in her other arm.

"All I need for you to do is grab your boots and then we can move." River commented briskly, her head cocked to one side and an eyebrow raised. "Whenever you're ready, that is."

"You haven't even gotten me into bed yet and you're already wearing the pants in the relationship." Mal grumbled in a teasing tone as he took the proffered towel. Holding it over his waist, he then rose to a crouched position and stood, securing the towel with practiced ease once he was standing.

"In the literal sense, I have never really taken a liking to wearing pants of any kind." River remarked, the corner of her mouth quirking up. "So you may keep on wearing them, if you like."

"If'n you don't watch it, your new nickname is gonna be smartass." Mal volleyed back, stepping over the lip of the tub and onto the bathmat.

Ignoring his taunt, River walked over to the door and pulled back the deadbolt. "We should be clear. Miranda had Walker and Jayne build a bonfire out back shortly after you joined me in the bath. Everyone is currently outside."

"How can you tell?" Mal asked, scooping up his boots and coming up behind her.

River tapped the side of her head and made an explosive gesture with her hands.

"Right. Whole amplification before cycle thing." Mal remarked, snapping his fingers and waving his finger around to circle her body. He then gestured towards the door. "Well, let's go then. Best not to take any chances."

In response, River grasped the doorknob, opened the door, and strode out purposefully towards Mal's room. Mal followed at a more sedate pace, forcing himself to not chase after her like some kind of eager teenager. He'd never really been that type of man anyway.

Rounding the corner into his bedroom a few seconds after River, he stopped short and almost took a step back at the sight before him. River had dropped all their belongings just inside the doorway, off to the side. Including her towel that had just been covering her wet, sweet scented, _bare_ body.

Of course, he wouldn't have been able to go very far, considering how River had latched onto the front of his towel and started leading him towards the bed the moment he walked through the doorway.

Did he mention that his albatross was completely naked?

He reached out and, just by the tips of his fingers, was able to swing the door shut as she led him towards the bed in the center of the room.

"I believe you were about to teach me a lesson for biting." River prompted in a no-nonsense tone, coming to a halt at the foot of the bed. Turning to face him and standing up on tip-toe, she touched her lips to Mal's as she brought her other hand up to the nape of his neck. Leaving the kiss at the barest of brushes, she then backed away from his slightly puckered lips and began to lower herself onto the bed.

Both her grip on his neck and towel were light, but Mal followed the coaxing with no hesitation, using a knee and hand as balance as he came to rest over her. He did reach out and pull her hand away from the front of his towel when he felt her gentle attempt to tug it free.

"Not yet, _bao bay_." Mal murmured, smoothing away her frown with a low chuckle and a kiss to her forehead. He lifted her right arm and draped it across the pillows above her head. His free hand trembled minutely as it sought out his prize, slowly skimming the outline of her body from the tips of her fingers down her torso. "I have a lesson to uphold first."

Ducking his head, he opened his mouth and closed his teeth over her right earlobe. Nothing too hurtful, just a nip. He then repeated his actions down the right side column of her neck. Then her collarbone. Then the skin between her breasts. Her hand on his neck shifted as her fingers threaded through the hair at the base of his scalp and tightened when he reached her breasts.

While pleasurable for both of them, this, however, had only been the distraction portion of the program.

He felt her startle as his hand snaked in between their bodies, his fingers brushing lightly over her curls.

"Do you still want me to touch you here, _bao bay_?" Mal asked, his fingers still barely skimming over her womanhood. "If not, you best tell me now, 'cause in a few minutes I plan on putting my mouth to use there as well."

River nodded her assent enthusiastically. A few needy sounds escaped her lips when he didn't immediately comply with her nod. The hesitant, unsure tilting of her hips against his hand finally spurred him into action, though.

The feel of his hand at the apex of her thighs sent a sudden jolt of heat and sensation through River. _Arousal_. _Foreplay_. _Climax_. Terms, until recently, she'd known by definition only. She'd only just been introduced to the middle term, and she was sure that she was being quickly overwhelmed by the first with only the barest of brushes. She was afraid that she would climax the moment his fingers set to true purpose and stroked her. Surely, she wasn't supposed to experience the final term this abruptly? From all that she'd read, it took most women minutes, if at all, to achieve climax.

As much as she wanted that experience, she didn't want it from his hand. At least, not yet. That wasn't to say that she didn't want his hands on her. Just not for her first orgasm. She wanted him inside her, his hips surging up into hers, delivering deliciously hard strokes that built such a pleasurable pressure inside her that she broke.

Especially if it was to happen this quickly.

She was about to voice her thoughts when his fingers delved between her folds and circled her clitoris, and her organized thought processes short circuited. The sensation was unlike anything she'd ever experienced before...the lightening like heat, the almost frightening race of ecstasy zinging through her core. She cried out as her fingers clenched into the pillow over her head and her body bowed upwards, her hips tilted down as if magnetized to Mal's probing fingers.

"That's one." Mal stated from his place at her chest, smiling in satisfaction as his teeth nipped affectionately at the underside of her right breast. Little jolts of pleasure continued to course through her as her climax started to descend. "And just so we're clear, I'm still going down on you, lit'l albatross. I've put this off for way too long." As he spoke, one of his fingers separated from their primary task at her clitoris and slipped inside her.

River was fairly certain that the world temporarily faded around the edges as the orgasm that had torn through her with just one touch flared once again, white hot and so intense she was positive she'd die from it if he didn't stop. It took her a few seconds to realize that she was the one screaming as her body tightened and bowed uncontrollably, unable to dispense the flow of ecstasy quickly enough.

At that moment she was both deeply glad and relieved that she'd chosen her captain as the man that would be her first, as well as deeply vexed that she'd waited so long to do so.

River tensed minutely at the feel of his teeth nipping playfully at her jutting hipbone. When had he gotten down there?

"I think I passed out for a moment." River observed, the hand over her head twirling a loose strand of hair absentmindedly as she stared at the ceiling with a distant, dreamy expression. Her muscles spent and loose. The feeling was all kinds of shiny scary. But in a good way. "That was even better than I've ever dreamed or gleaned from Kaylee."

"That's a mighty nice thing of you to say, lit'l one." Mal returned with a smug expression, pausing his ministrations between her legs. "We haven't even gotten to the best part yet."

"If you touch me again, I might die." River stated breathlessly, tightening her fingers against his neck to bring his gaze up and lifting her head up enough to meet his eyes.

"Alright, albatross. We'll take a short break." Mal relented, his tone and eyes full of mirth. He pulled away and rolled off to her left. Crawling up the bed, he settled in beside her facing her, propping his head up on a fisted hand.

"Now I know why they call it '_la petite mort'._" River mused in a contemplative tone, turning her head to the side to meet his gaze.

Mal grinned after she spoke, reached out and took the hand that had fallen from his neck and twined his fingers around her smaller ones.

"I wonder why there are so many derogatory words that refer to what we're about to do." River commented conversationally, an underlying anxiousness pervading her tone. What if she wasn't able to please him the way he'd done her? Could she live up to expectations?

"Call me a romantic, but only one phrase comes to mind." Mal said in response, his tone warm. "You remember that first time we piloted Serenity together, leaving Miranda. What I told you kept Serenity in the air?"

A smile peeked out from River's lips. "Love."

"Yes, darlin'. Love. It comes in many forms and a ship don't much care which so long as you do. Tonight, _bao bay_, we're gonna be making plenty of the strongest, more powerful form, in this verse or any other, right here." Mal finished, releasing her hand to caress the curve of her jaw.

"Show me. Please." River pleaded endearingly, letting her knees fall to the sides, her hand clasping his left biceps and tugging lightly.

Obliging her request, seeing as how this is where they'd been heading since he'd joined her in her bath, he followed her gentle tug on his arm to settle himself in on top of her, flinging the discarded towel across the room.

'_Sheppard Book...I hope you can someday forgive me.'_ Mal thought as he held himself above River with one hand and used the other to guide his shaft to her entrance.

"It is not his place to judge you." River stated in a firm tone, one of her hands settling in around his neck once again as the other curled around his midsection, close to the scar the Operative's sword had given him. "It is mine to accept you and love you however I wish."

And with her urging, he slid home, hips docking snugly to hers.

A startled gasp of surprise escaped River when Mal pierced her maidenhood to become fully seated inside her. The pain that accompanied it was sharp, but not unbearable. It was manageable. Her body began to soften around him, accepting the unrelenting hardness that had yet to budge from its new residence. The feeling that began to quickly blossom in a space that had once been empty and hollow, but was now full to the brim and _pulsing,_ scattered and scrambled any and all thoughts that had previously been pervading her mind, screaming for her attention.

Her mind was clear but for one thing...make love to _your_ captain.

So she did.

She hooked each of her arms underneath his armpits and coiled her legs around his hips as he began a subtle back and forth motion, slow and shallow strokes that allowed her more time to adjust, this time to the motion. Just as his staying still had.

He was so brittle and jaded...and yet so gentle with her as he brushed his fingertips across her forehead, giving her time to adapt to the foreign sensation of his body being inside hers. Not many men had the same concerns for the women they bedded. Especially budding blooms with dreams of romance and the perfect amount of seduction when plucked. She wished that she could wrap herself around him in such a fashion that she could forever protect him from any future harm the way he strived so hard for those he held close to his heart.

"Wanna be on top for awhile, darlin'?" Mal queried, breaking through her thoughts. She felt him pause where they were joined, waiting for her response.

A wave of emotion threatened to overwhelm her as she finally understood what it meant to make love, to share her body with someone because it brought them closer, as close as one could be to another physically. In this moment, he was sharing a piece of his heart, his soul with her. She could only hope that he knew the same could be said for her.

"Is that something that would be pleasing for you?" River asked in return, tilting her head in question as she gazed up at him.

A roguish grin tugged at his lips. "You should know, _bao bay_. You've seen my dreams. In all their technicolor glory."

"I wouldn't necessarily say technicolor." River mused as she unlocked one leg and used it to propel Mal onto his back, releasing her other twined leg once she arrived on top. She rested her hands just under his pectorals as she adjusted her legs for the proper leverage. "But they were very vivid. Very detailed."

"A fact of which I'm sure you're about to take advantage of." Mal quipped, his tone only slightly winded as his hands settled in on her hips.

Pulling the hair-tie from her hair, her hair fell unrestrained from the top of her head as she braced herself again over him. Her dark locks curtained around their heads as she leaned in close to whisper a sultry declaration in his ear. "I intend on taking full advantage of you."

She then rose up and lifted her hips, sliding up his length until only the head of his penis remained within her before adding a twist and flick of her hips and gliding back down, her pace slow and easy.

Maddening.

After a couple minutes, Mal almost made a comment about her pace. Until he watched her lean back, away from him as her hips began to undulate at a rapid tempo and her breaths came out in harsh, desperate pants. His gaze fell to where they were joined, watching with rapt fascination as their bodies came together then separated.

He was about to come. He was about to make sure she came first.

Rising up to a sitting position, Mal wrapped one arm securely around River, reached the other between them to stroke her as he tumbled her onto her back, his knees underneath her. Her legs tightened around him as he followed her down, swallowing her scream with his mouth as he kissed her passionately.

Her inner walls convulsing around him was his undoing. He came an instant later, his deep groan of satisfaction transferring through their connected mouths and tangled tongues.

River's eyes were bright and open wide when Mal's orgasm finally began to subside enough for him to pull his face back enough to look into her eyes. His arms trembled as he lifted some of his weight off of her, a hesitant smile pulled at his lips as he stared down at her.

"So...what'd you think?" Mal questioned, attempting for casual even as his chest resembled a bellows and his arms could barely support his weight or current position over River.

River stared up at him blankly for a few moments before she blinked rapidly, her expression clearing. "I'm sorry? What did you just say?"

A low chuckle rumbled up from his chest, Mal leaned in to kiss her briefly before he slid out of her completely and levered himself off of her and onto the bed. "I guess that's an answer all on its own."

oooouoooo*ooovooooo*ooowooooooo

I know it's been awhile, but...it was good, right? This time, I already have the following chapter written up. Considering how I had it written before I had any of this wonderful chapter laid out in detail...I should certainly hope so, lol! Anyway, it shouldn't be another months long wait. Again.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's note: This is it. The End. (Of this story, anyway, lol). I hope you enjoyed reading it (especially if you've been enduring my sporadic updating from the beginning!) Also, I may have borrowed some song lyrics from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. _"Everyone's a Hero"_, to be exact. Haven't watched it? Or (dread the thought) never even heard of it? Rent it or check it out from your local library. If you like Nathan Fillion and Neil Patrick Harris at all, it's so totally worth it. Also, this chapter starts ten minutes or more after the end of the last. Some time to rest, if you will.

Music Suggestions: 'Possession' by Sarah McLachlan, 'Prep for flight' by David Newman, 'Everyone's a hero' by Nathan Fillion.

Disclaimer: Don't own Firefly or Serenity.

10-The Perfect Woman

"Would you dance for me?" Mal asked after a moment of hesitation, his hand resting lightly over the one she had placed on his heart. Before she could answer, he began to ramble. "Simon's mentioned it numerous times...I mean, not that seeing you fight isn't beautiful enough on its own...Suppose I just wanted to see you dancing something of your own free will, not related to violence. Something that makes you happy, is all."

Laying her head on top of both of their hands, she angled her face up to look at him. "Was there something specific you had in mind?"

"Don't reckon I know any of the names of any particular dance or any of the moves involved, albatross. Something natural. Something that comes from here." Mal replied, finishing his response with a finger tapping at her ribcage, closest to her heart.

Frowning slightly, she pulled herself up onto her elbows, hair tumbling around her shoulders to tickle Mal's chest. "But I thought you said you wouldn't be ready for that dance for awhile. It isn't a dance I wish to participate in alone."

Mal couldn't help but chuckle at her petulant response.

"As you well know, that wasn't what I meant for this particular conversation." Mal stated in a slight reprimanding tone.

"Alright." River relented with a pout. Rising fluidly to her feet, River took a few steps from the bed towards the other side of the room, the silk robe she'd worn a puddle of wrinkled material next to the door. Pausing as she was about to bend over to retrieve it, a hand rose up to her chest and she looked down, a deep breath exhaling from her lungs as Mal's gaze consumed her, scalding her skin in its intensity. Gazing impartially at him over her shoulder, she raised an eyebrow. "Would you prefer I remain naked for this dance?"

ooozooooo*ooeoooooo*ooocooooo

Miranda lagged behind her husband as they reached the landing at the top of the steps. Walker turned to peer at her over his shoulder when he heard her steps treading down the opposite hall. Instead of making Zoe climb the steps to her old bedroom, they had decided to swap rooms with her for as long as she stayed under their roof. At least during her pregnancy. Now with the birth of her son and a few days rest...

"Sweetheart? I know it's been awhile since we've slept up here, but Zoe's room is this way." Walker ribbed teasingly.

"I know, dear." Miranda replied dryly, waving him off to continue without her. "I just want to look in on River before I lay down for the night."

"Don't be long." Walker advised meaningfully before continuing on towards their temporary sleeping quarters.

Continuing on in her own direction, Miranda tapped lightly on the door second to the end of the hall. Receiving no response, Miranda cracked the already partially open door enough to peek into. Finding the room empty, a warm smile lit up her face. Stepping back, Miranda eased the door back to its previous position and walked away. Seconds later, her fingertips trailed along the surface of another door as she passed. A door that held the rest of the world at bay as two new lovers sought to discover something that had previously always been denied them. Peace. And perhaps a little bit of love.

"Well done, Malcolm Reynolds." Miranda saluted softly to the door before she walked away.

oooaoooo*oooxooooooo*ooorooooo

_Eighteen Months Later..._

River woke in Mal's bunk to a familiar voice in her head. Its presence was not what had woken her, though. It was the melodic, almost musical flow that accompanied it.

Sitting up, River tossed the covers back and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Snatching up the maroon button-up shirt that she'd peeled off of Mal hours ago, River nimbly thumbed the buttons into place as she walked over to the ladder leading out of Mal's bunk. Lithely climbing the rungs, River followed the direction of the voice in her head.

The voice she could hear with her ears echoing down the open hatch leading to the bridge. Only, it wasn't a talking voice. It was a rich, gentle baritone singing to a child.

It was her captain singing to Zoe's eighteen-month-old son.

_"Everyone's a hero in their own way. __Everyone's got villains they must face. __They're not as cool as mine, b__ut folks you know it's fine to know your place."_

His exaggerated facial expressions as he sang had tiny giggles constantly bursting past the toddler's lips.

_"Everyone's a hero in their own way. __In their own not that heroic way."_

When Mal sang the next line, his hand shot up into the air before coming back to wave back and forth in front of his nose as if catching a whiff of something foul.

_"Everyone's a hero in their own way. __Everyone's got something they can do. __Get up, go out and fly. __Especially that Badger, he smells like poo."_

"You know, I think I'm gettin' pretty good at this." Mal said softly when he caught a hint of movement from the corner of his eye. Lucas squirmed from his perch on Mal's knee and peered around Mal's arm to see who his uncle was talking to.

"Make a good father someday." River supplied cryptically, moving towards the pair lounging in the pilot's chair. River draped herself across Mal's lap after Mal lifted Lucas into the air and gestured to the freed up space with the tiny tot's giggling face. Settling in, River collected the child being presented and sat him on her lap. Lucas's joyous laughter continued to echo in the cavernous space. River couldn't help but smile as she leaned her head back on Mal's shoulder. "I didn't know you could sing."

"That's because I can't." Mal replied matter-of-factly, kissing her hair as he tightened his arms around River and the toddler that was more precious to him than little Kaylee. And that was saying something. "Was just something silly to keep the rugrat occupied while his momma got a few hours of sleep."

"Well, I thought you were very good." River commented in a no-nonsense tone, tickling Lucas's sides. Lucas giggled gleefully. "Wasn't he, Luca-luc?"

Lucas nodded enthusiastically as peals of laughter continued to erupt from his lips.

"You know, ganging up on a guy isn't exactly fair play, albatross." Mal said instead, changing the subject.

River placed a lingering kiss on the skin beneath her lips, the place where Mal's shoulder met his neck. The neck of his brown button-up gaped open beneath her lips as she pulled at the collar with her free hand.

"Are you trying to distract me, lit'l albatross? In front of a child?" Mal ribbed in a light scandalized tone.

"Just practicing." River replied pragmatically, leaning back enough to gaze up at him through her lashes.

The teasing light left Mal's eyes as he returned her gaze squarely. "For what, exactly? Are you trying to tell me something, River? Be _very_ clear."

"The stamen has not yet fertilized the stigma." River stated, ticking her head in the direction of the innocent ears seated within her embrace. "Flower still has yet to spread its seed into a germination cycle."

"I'm getting too later on in my years for you to be presentin' shocks like that to my system. About gave me a right heart attack, darlin'. Just 'cause I allude to getting comfortable with the idea of youngins' don't mean I want one of my own runnin' around right this minute. Got my hands full enough with this one." Mal explained in a relieved tone, mussing with Lucas's hair.

"Not now." River supplied in a distant, far off tone. She leaned back against his solid chest. "Not yet...but soon."

"What?" Mal asked in a panicked tone.

ooovoooooo*ooowoooooo*ooouooooooo

Well, what'd you think? If you've listened to the full song, rest assured, Mal was not singing the _whole_ song to the child. Pretty much just what appeared in the chapter. The first time I watched Dr. Horrible's... and heard Nathan Fillion singing that song...it kind of inspired that scene above. As for the ending, I thought it would work better, ending there. But, in another version of that scene, River spouts out a specific vision she had and she already knew just how soon it was going to be. But, it didn't really fit well as an _ending_ ending, so... this is finally the end! It's been fun, but I think I'm gonna lay off of any more writing _Firefly/Serenity_ for awhile. It does _not_ come easy to me.


End file.
